419 scam: "Promotions Department"<e_uropw@yahoo.com.cn> -RNL/01/1836547290/UK

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "euro million lotto" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claims agent" (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.
- +447006009181 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +447045712276 (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.
- brad0albert2001@yahoo.com.cn (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Promotions Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <brad0albert2001@yahoo.com.cn>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:00:40 -0700
Subject: -RNL/01/1836547290/UK

FROM: PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL- EURO MILLION LOTTO, WINNING NOTICE FOR GOLDEN STAKE WINNER-Ref. No.-RNL/01/1836547290/UK

Attention:

We happily announce to you that International- Euro Million lotto has just concluded its final draws of its periodical promotional program. An exclusive list of email addresses of thousands of individual and corporate bodies were picked by automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets were sold. Your email address emerged as one of five winners in the Golden stakes category as email addresses were sought out from a total number of 75,000 email addresses drawn from all over the globe (Europe, North and South America, Asia, Middle East and Africa). After an automated computer ballot of our International Promotions Program, only FIVE winners emerged in this category and therefore each are to receive payouts of EU1,500,000.00(One MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO ONLY) from the total of EU7,500,000.00 (SEVEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO ONLY). However, every email address selected was accompanied by a reference and ticket number, after the cyber lotto!

Reference number for your prize is: Ref. NO.-RNL/01/1836547290/UK
Ticket no.- RNL/147/01/80UK

For your prize claim process, we have employed the service of an international Trust firm. They are to handle the transfer of your cash prize of EU1,500,000.00(ONE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO ONLY) in line with our procedures and upon your directions. Your prize has been insured to its full value with your email address and will be transferred to you under their professional service. To immediately file your claim, please contact our Fiduciary agent Royal Finance and Security Company, below is the contact information of their FINANCIAL DIRECTOR;

MR. MARK PETERS
Finance Director,
Royal Finance and Security Company
United Kingdom
Email: brad0albert2001@yahoo.com.cn
Phone:+44-704-571-2276
Fax: +44 7006-009-181

In your best interest, you must initiate contact within 5 days of receipt of this correspondence, Royal Finance and Security Company are to handle all matters with regards to claiming of your prize money. You are also advised to send a copy of this email to your claims agent MR. MARK PETERS, when contacting him. You may be required to provide any of the above information during the process of collecting your prize. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims file is processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double/multiple claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program, Please be warned!!!

We congratulate you once again and it is our hope that you participate in any of our international programs in the nearest future and we will appreciate your assistance in helping us maintain the integrity of the entire International- Euro Million lotto. Thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!!!.

Sincerely,
Hild, Ana
Promotions Manager,
International- Euro Million lotto,
United Kingdom

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam