419 scam: "Miss Stella Tom" <caroline@cancermedicals6.com> Batch number ................ YM 09102XN

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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:

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:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "transfer of your funds" (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 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.
- ben-stev1@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Miss Stella Tom" <caroline@cancermedicals6.com>
Reply-To: <ben-stev1@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:15:37 -0600
Subject: Batch number ................ YM 09102XN

Yahoo! UK & Ireland,

Yahoo! Email Incoperation Baley House,
Har Road Sutton, Greater London SM1 4te
United Kingdom

We hereby inform you that you have won a prize of One Million Eight Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling (£1,800.000GBP ) for the 2011 Yahoo! Microsoft International Programm, the e-mail promotion is hosted by Yahoo! Email INC & LIVE.only for Windows Registered members of the Yahoo list.

YAHOO! & MICROSOFT Scholarship, collects all the email addresses of people your e-mail addresses were active online, among the millions who are online Registered members list, we select only five people as our winners through our Yahoo! Microsoft Ballot unit selection system.
We congratulate you as one of the selected people in our Yahoo! Microsoft Members Registry file list.
You are to contact your Claims Agent on or before the end time of application, the winners will be in accordance with his / her Settlement Center.
Award must be claimed no later than 7 days from date of draw notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won. Each prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.
These are your identification numbers:

Batch number ..................... YM 09102XN
Reff number ................... .... YM35447XN
Winning number ................. . YM09788
These numbers fall in the London headquarters of our center you will contact our London Co-ordinator Mr EDWIN CHRISTOPHER and send your winning information's' to him.

Name: Mr Benard Stev
E-mail: ben-stev1@hotmail.com

You are therefore advised to take along the following to the London Co-ordinator to facilitate and process the transfer of your funds.

1. Full Name .....................
2. Country ........................
3. Contact Address ..................
4. Telephone ......................
5. Marital ....................... ...
6. Occupation .................... .........
7. Age ........................... .........
8. Gender ............................. .

Yours In Service
Miss. Stella Tom.
(Microsoft Winner coordinator)
Copyright 2011 © Yahoo! Inc.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam