419 scam: British Lottery Award <rabih.ghostine@engees.u-strasbg.fr> British Lottery Award

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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:
- "british lottery international" (no such lottery exists)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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.
- +447024075639 (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.
- billyrockshaw2010@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: British Lottery Award <rabih.ghostine@engees.u-strasbg.fr>
Reply-To: billyrockshaw2010@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 23:40:28 +0200
Subject: British Lottery Award

--
British Lottery Headquarters:
Customer Service28
TANFIELD ROAD,CROYDON,LONDON.
Ref: BTL/491OXI/04Batch: 12/25/0304
Tel: +44702 4075639

ATTENTION.
Good day, we announce to you the draw of the British Lottery International
programs held on the 10th of July 2010 in London. Your e-mail address
with serial number 5388/02 drew the lucky numbers:31-6-26-13-35-7,which
subsequently won you the lotteryin the 2nd category.

You have been approved to claim a total sum of 500,000.00 Great British Pounds
in cash credited to file RPC/9080118308/04 made available from a total cash
prize of Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds Sterlng.

You were randomly selected for the online version from world wide web sites
through a computer drawn systemextracted from over 100,000 companies.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our booklet
representative office in Europe as indicated in our play coupon.

In view of this, your 500,000.00 GBBP (Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain
Pounds
Sterlng) would be released to you by ouraffiliate bank in London as soon as
you establish contact.

To file for your claim,contact our fiduciary agent via the below details;

AGENT: Mr. Billy Rockshaw
Email: billyrockshaw2010@gmail.com
TEL: +44702 4075639

Remember to quote your reference information in all correspondence. You are
to keep all lotto informationaway from the general public especially your
referencenumbers.(This is important as a case of double claims will not
be entertained). Members of the affiliate agencies are automatically not
allowed to participate inthis program.

You are hereby advised to send us the following;

1.Full names...................................
2.Residential address..........................
3.Phone number.................................
4.Fax number...................................
5.Occupation...................................
6.Sex..........................................
9.Email Address................................
10.Batch number................................
11.Serial number...............................
12.Ref . number................................

CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE MEMBERS AND STAFF OF BRITISH LOTTERY INT'L.
Faithfully,Constance.Bernard, Esq.Zone Co-ordinator for BRITISH LOTTERY
INT'L Sweepstakes International Program. Tel: +44702 4075639

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam