419 scam: "MRS. SARA GERVAIS"<claimsdirector10@aim.com> Ref. Number: NL/BC3765468/WW19

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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:
- "claims director" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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)
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.
- +31644238453 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- claimsmanager07@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS. SARA GERVAIS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <claimsmanager07@aim.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:59:15 +0100
Subject: Ref. Number: NL/BC3765468/WW19

SKYLO ONLINE E-GAMES NETHERLANDS
Lotto Winners of 1,500,000.00 Euros
Ref. Number: NL/BC3765468/WW19
Coupon Number: NT/847341/WOT

ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today of winners of the SKYLO ONLINE E-GAMES NETHERLANDS held on 2nd November 2009.Your Company or your personal e-mail address is attached to winning number 20-01-2005-02MSW, with serial number S/N-00168 drew the lucky numbers 887-13-865-37-10-81, and consequently won in the first lottery category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of One Million Five Hundred Thousand EUROS (1,500,000.00) in cash credited to file REF NO: NL/BC3765468/WW19 and Coupon NT/847341/WOT

This is from total prize money of 10,687,000 EUROS, shared among the twenty international winners in this category.

All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot system drawn form 21,000 names, 3,000 names from each continent, as part of International "E-MAIL" Promotions Program, which is conducted once in every four years for our prominent MS WORD user all over the world, and for the continues use of E-mail.

Your fund has been deposited in an escrow account with our affiliate Bank here in NETHERLAND, and insured with your REF NO: NL/BC3765468/WW19 and your E-mail address.

You are to keep your ref. number and coupon number from the public, until you have been processed and your money remitted to your personal account. We hope with your prize, you will be happy to promote the use of E-mail and the use of MS WORD.

To claim your winning prize, you must first contact the claims department by email or call for processing and remittance of your prize money to you. Your assigned claims Director contact is:

MR.VAN DIRK
LAAN VAN HOORNWIJCK 55
2289 DG RIJSWIJK
THE NETHERLANDS
TEL: 0031-644-238-453
FAX: 0031-84-732-1482
Email: claimsmanager07@aim.com

He is to help you in claiming your due prize. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and coupon numbers in all correspondences with your claims director.

All response should be sent to claimsmanager07@aim.com

Sincerely,
Mrs. Sara Gervais
SKYLO ONLINE E-GAMES NETHERLANDS

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam