419 scam: "Pauls"<mba_chimezie@yahoo.com> IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION(CONTACT YOUR AGENT ON +447045756208)

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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:
- "your payment is being processed" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
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.
- +447045756208 (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.
- edwardhowell2011@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Pauls" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <edwardhowell2011@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:54:37 -0800
Subject: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION(CONTACT YOUR AGENT ON +447045756208)

Dear Winner,

We apologize, for the delay of your payment and all the inconveniences and inflict that we might have indulged you through.

However, we are having some minor problems with our payment system, this is inexplicable, and have held us stranded and indolent, not having the aspiration to devote our 100% assiduity in accrediting foreign payments. We apologize once again from the records of outstanding winners due for payment with {ONLINE LOTTERY PROGRAMME} your name and particulars was discovered as next on the list of the outstanding winners who are yet to receive their payments.

Emails were selected anonymously through a Computer Ballot System(C.B.S) from over 35,000 companies and 70,000 individual E-mail addresses all over the world and your e-mail address emerged as the winner of the 11 selected email addresses.

This program is promoted and sponsored by Orient Software Corporation (Orient Networks) in collaboration with The Online Lottery International.

I wish to inform you now that the square peg is now in square whole and can be voguish for your payment is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter.

Also note that from our record in our file, your outstanding winning payment is S950.215.00 (NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN DOLLARS).Payment will be made to you in an ATM PAYMENT METHOD,by issuing you an ATM CARD as soon as you get in touch with the agent below.

Mrs. Edward Howell,
E-mail: edwardhowell2011@gmail.com
Tel: +447045756208

Provide him with the following details, as this will enable him to process the release of your cash prize without any delay.

Names in full:..................................
Telephone and fax Numbers:..............
Residential Address:.........................
Occupation.....................................
Date of Birth:..................................

Your urgent reply will help him process the release of your price money.

Mr. Edward Howell will effect the speedy release of your cash prize to you within 2 days.

Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Elizabeth Pauls
Vice President.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam