419 scam: "Stella Owen"<stellaowen@lottery.bbc.co.uk> YOUR LOTTERY WINNINGS.

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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:
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "million 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)
- ",000,000" (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.
- +447031747346 (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.
- rossevansslot00@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Stella Owen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rossevansslot00@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 15:51:25 -0700
Subject: YOUR LOTTERY WINNINGS.

The National Lottery

P O Box 1010

Liverpool , L70 1NL UNITED KINGDOM

(Customer Services)

Ref: SGIL/763276/03

Batch: 074/05/ZY3 .

Dear lucky winner,

We happily announce to you the draw of the UK-National Lottery International programs held last week..

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 187, with Serial number 87-11 drew the lucky numbers: 12,37,39,40,50,01 Bonus 02. Which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of GBP 1,000,000.00{ONE MILLION BRITISH POUNDS} in cash credited to file REF NO.SGIL/763276/03.

This is from a total cash prize of GBR £16,000,000(SIXTEEN MILLION BRITISH POUNDS STERLING) shared amongst the first sixteen (16) lucky winners in this category. All participants were selected randomly from Worldwide Web site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies. This promotion takes place annually. Please note

that your lucky winning number fall within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this,Your GBP 1, 000, 000.00 {ONE MILLION BRITISH POUNDS) would be configured/loaded into a bank card and sent to your address so you can be able to draw the prize from any bank payment outlet in your country . To begin your claims therefore, you are advised on final notice and as a matter of urgency, to contact our licensed and accredited claim agent for Overseas Lottery Winners as stated below

Contact thus: CONTACT OUR CLAIMS MANAGER,

NAME: ROSS EVANS

Email: rossevansslot00@gmail.com

Tel: +44-703-174-7346

Due to mixed up in some numbers and names and for the purpose of confidentiality, be advised to keep this award notification as secret from public notice until you have received your prize as this is part of precautionary measures to avoid double claim or misuse of this program by some social miscreants. Hence, your prize award winning is confidential as our winners are at liberty to remain completely anonymous until payment is effected. Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program.

Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,

STELLA OWEN (MS)

LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam