419 scam: "Visa Card Promotion" <team@visacard.co.uk> Contact Claims Administrator‏

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447024037514 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- visacardmegajackpot@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Visa Card Promotion" <team@visacard.co.uk>
Reply-To: visacardmegajackpot@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:18:52 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: Contact Claims Administrator‏

Visa Card® / Msn® INTERNATIONAL MEGA JACKPOT
PROMOTION/CLAIMS DEPARTMENT
440 THE STRAND LONDON, WC2R 0QS
ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
DIRECTOR:Dr Glenn Edward

Attn:Winner
Winning No:VCard/877/798/2009
Email Ref No:VCard/699/33/2009
AMOUNT WON:500,000.00GBP (Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds).
This email address has brought you an unexpected luck,Your e-mail address
was selected and confirmed by our co-sponsor Msn International, through
their latest internet software.You are therefore been approved by Visa
Card Int./Msn UK the sum of 500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Great
Britain Pounds).

===================================
CONTACT CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR
===================================
NAME: Robert Leonard
Phone Number:+44 702 403 7514
Email: visacardmegajackpot@yahoo.com.hk
Visa Card® /Msn® Promotion Department
Do email the above Claims Administrator, at once with all the claims
requirements below.To avoid unnecessary delay.They are needed to proceed.

Claims Requirements:
1. Full Name:_____________________
2. Address:_____________________
3. Nationality:___________Sex:________
4. Age:________Date of Birth:___________
5. Occupation:_____________________
6. Cell Phone:___________Fax:___________
7. State of Origin:_________Country:_______
8.Winning No:_______Email Ref No:______

PROCEEDURES / RIGHTS AND PRECAUTIONS.
Choose from payment options and Contact the Claims Administrator with all
your claims requirements well filled @ visacardmegajackpot@yahoo.com.hk

(i).Bank Transfer.
(ii).Delivery of Prepaid Visa card® Valued 500,000.00GBP by a registered
Courier Company.

Secretary,
Mrs.Dora Lazmon
Visa Card® /Msn® Mega Jackpot
©2009 Microsoft Corporation.All rights reserved

THIS E-MAIL IS CONFIDENTIAL. If you have received this e-mail in error,
please notify us by return e-mail and delete the document. If you are not
the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure,
copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of
this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.Visa Card® /
Msn® International Mega Jackpot is not liable for the proper and complete
transmission of the information contained in this communication or for any
delay in its receipt.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam