419 scam: "Ms M Botsio-Phillips"<zato1001@gmail.com> Dear Email Account User (Grant Award Notification)

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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:
- "million united states dollars" (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.
- ernestabankroh@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ms M Botsio-Phillips" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ernestabankroh@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 03:19:31 -0700
Subject: Dear Email Account User (Grant Award Notification)

Ashanti Goldfields Foundation (N.G.O)
Gold House, Patrice Lumumba Road,
P.O. Box 2665, Accra, Ghana

Ref No: DFID/765/2011/185
Batch No: 231-967-17-11

Dear E-mail account holder,

NOTIFICATION OF CASH AID

This is to notify you that you have been selected By the Board of Trustees of the above International Foundation based in Accra-Ghana to qualify for a Cash Grant/Donation for Business, Economic, social and Research developments in your community.

The Ashanti Goldfields Co. Ltd is the largest processor of gold ores in Sub-Saharan Africa and engages in the exploration and development of gold properties in Africa. The Foundation was conceived with the objective of promoting Human Growth, Entrepreneurial advancement and Community development. In line with the commemorative anniversary program of the founder of the Goldmine company, Edwin Cade , this Foundation is giving out usd$23,000.000.00 ( Twenty Three Million United States Dollars) as specific Donations/Grants to 45 lucky international recipients worldwide in different categories. These funds are freely given as Aid to enhance your business and community development.

Based on the random selection exercise of millions of Internet and Credit card users worldwide by our partners, the Department For International Development (D.F.I.D) your name was selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of US$750.000.00 (Seven hundred & Fifty thousand United States Dollars) as charity donations/aid in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament.

You are required to Contact immediately the Group Secretary below for pre qualification and processing of your claims. Please quote your reference No. and batch No. in all correspondence.

Mr. Ernest Abankroh
Group Secretary
Ashanti Goldfields Foundation (N.G.O)
Gold House, Patrice Lumumba Road,
P.O. Box 2665, Accra
Email: ernestabankroh@gmail.com

Note that these donations/Grants are administered by a Ghanaian Bank and therefore subject to the Laws of Ghana.
On behalf of the Board kindly accept our warmest congratulations in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Ms M Botsio-Phillips
(General Counsel)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: CEO/Managing director:Dr SE Jonah (Sam) Chairperson: Mr ME Beckett (Michael) Chief Financial Officer:Mr S Venkatakrishnan (Srinivasan) Director (Exec.):Mr TR Gibian (Thomas) Executive Director - Corporate Relations:Mrs ED Ofori Atta Chief Operations Officer:Mr TS Schultz (Trevor) Group Secretary:Mr E Abankroh (Ernest) General Counsel:Ms M Botsio-Phillips (Merene) Director (Non-Exec.):Mr TE Anin (Theophilus Ernest) Director (Non-Exec.):Baroness Chalker
Chairman of the Audit Committee:Mr P Tarsh (Philip)

This transmission contains information that may be confidential and privileged and/or for the sole use of the intended recipient. Unless you are the intended recipient of the message or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient) you may not copy, forward, or otherwise use it, or disclose it or its Contents to anyone else. If you have received this transmission in error please notify us immediately and delete it from your system.
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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam