419 scam: "SHELL PRIZE 2010" <willysmth382@gmail.com> SHELL PRIZE 2010

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
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 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.
- willysmth@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- (s.p.d.c)ghana. email: willysmith@infobizn.com email: willysmth@hotmail.com email: willysmth@gmail.com country: ghana west-africa. (Infobizn; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "SHELL PRIZE 2010" <willysmth382@gmail.com>
Date: 31 Jan 2010 08:18:08 -0500
Subject: SHELL PRIZE 2010

Congratulations!!!

Shell Petroleum Development Company (S.P.D.C)Ghana is proud to inform you
that you have won US$5.100.000 (Five Million One Hundred Thousand United
States Dollar).Why you have won Your E-mail address is one of 19 lucky
Addresses who have won in the Shell Petroleum Development Company
(S.P.D.C)Ghana yearly Promotion.

Shell Petroleum Development Company (S.P.D.C) Ghana team based Internet
Lottery, whereby all winners are selected by Shell Petroleum Development
Company (S.P.D.C) Ghana internet/email server, this email server visits
all internet providers and email address around the globe, be it .com,
org, .net, aol and all country based web abbreviations, as you have .ca in
Canada and .uk in United Kingdom and aol in U.S.A.Details on the Winnings

REFERENCE NUMBER: GH/2010/LOT/SPDC
BATCH NUMBER: GH012/123/CAMP/
SECURITY CODE: (8828)

You are required to forward the details of winning to the Claim Agent to
help facilitate the processing of your claims. Contact The Claim Agent MR.
WILLY SMITH with Below Information.

You are required to fill the VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM TO THE
CONTACT BELOW:

(1) Your Full Name.
(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.
(3) Your Nationality/Country.
(4) Your contact address.
(5) Occupation/Age.

CLAIM AGENT OFFICE CONTACT.
MR. WILLY SMITH
Shell Petroleum Development Company (S.P.D.C)Ghana.
Email: willysmith@infobizn.com
Email: willysmth@hotmail.com
Email: willysmth@gmail.com
Country: Ghana West-Africa.
Congratulations once again.

Regards.
MRS. EVAN WEEL.
Promotion Manager.

WARNING:
Do not tell people about your Prize Award until your money is successfully
handed over to you to avoid disqualification that may arise from double
claim. You may also receive similar e-mails from people portraying to be
other Organizations or Yahoo Inc. This is solely to collect your personal
information from you and lay claim over your winning. In event that you
receive any e-mail similar to the notification letter that was sent to
you, kindly delete it from your mailbox and give no further correspondence
to such person or body. Yahoo shall not be held responsible for any loss
of fund arising from the above mentioned.

WE WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS IS NOT A BOGUS WINNING OR ANOTHER PYRAMID
OF MONEY MAKING BUSINESS...

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam