419 scam: "Cindy O'Toole" <ycotoole@yccc.edu> LOTTO WIN-Contact Your Funds Release Agent.

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "lhgzurichmgt@mail.mn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +447024041561 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:57:54 -0500
Subject: LOTTO WIN-Contact Your Funds Release Agent.

LOTTO Hamburg GmbH
Überseering 4
22297 Hamburg
D-Hamburg, Germany.

Your Reference: LH/15-DE/4563 &
Batch Number: LH/10/15.

Congratulations!

We are please to inform you that your email identity has emerged winner of EUR 2.500,000 (Two million five hundred thousand Euro) from the company, LOTTO Hamburg GmbH online final year draws for 2010 which was conducted last week. Your email ID was attached to serial Numbers: 05-3498 and drew the winning numbers: 5 11 12 13 32 40 22 for LN-49 Lotto under the choice of the lottery in the 1st category.

To begin your claims, you are to contact your fund release agent, Mr. Leonard Griffiths of the paying insurance company through his contact details below;

Mr. Leonard Griffiths,
LH GmbH/Zurich Financial Services Ltd,
Professional & Risk Services Manager,
Telefon: +44 702 404 1561
Telefax: +44 844 774 3796
E-mail: lhgzurichmgt@mail.mn

For more information and release details.

Endeavour to quote your reference (LH/15-DE/4563) and batch (LH/10/15) numbers in every correspondence with your claims agent form.

Congratulations once again.

Yours truly,
Mrs. Cindy O'Toole,
Result Co-ordinator.
LOTTO Hamburg GmbH

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam