419 scam: GOOGLE INC <info@googlemail.com> ALERT!!!

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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:
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
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.
- award2012.gpa@googlemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: GOOGLE INC <info@googlemail.com>
Reply-To: award2012.gpa@googlemail.com
Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2012 11:03:00 +0100
Subject: ALERT!!!

Google Incorporation.
Stamford New Road,
Altrincham Cheshire,
WA14 1EP
London,
United Kingdom.

Winning No: GUK/877/798/2012
Ticket No: GUK/699/33/2012

GOOGLE ANNIVERSARY WINNING NOTIFICATION.

We wish to congratulate you once again on this note, for being part of our
winners selected this year. This promotion was set-up to encourage the active
users of the Google search engine and the Google ancillary services.

The online draws was conducted by a random selection of email addresses from an
exclusive list of E-mail addresses of individuals and corporate bodies picked by
an advanced automated random computer search from the internet. However, no
tickets were sold but all email addresses were assigned to different ticket
numbers for representation and privacy. The selection process was carried out
through random selection in our computerized email selection machine (TOPAZ)
from a database of over 250,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of
the world.

This Lottery is approved by the British Gaming Board and also Licensed by the
International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).This lottery is the 3rd of
its kind and we intend to sensitize the public.

Hence we do believe with your winning prize, you will continue to be active and
patronage to the Google search engine. Google is now the biggest search engine
worldwide and in an effort to make sure that it remains the most widely used
search engine, we ran an online e-mail beta test which your email address won
GBP950, 000.00 {Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds Sterling}.A
winning cheque will be issued in your name by Google Promotion Award Team.

Please you are advised to complete the form below and send it immediately to our
Claims Administrator through email for prompt collection of your Price. The
Claims Administrator Google Promotion Award Team.

Google Promotion Award Team
Email: award2012.gpa@googlemail.com

You are advised to contact your Claims Administrator with the following details
to avoid unnecessary delay and complications:

PAYMENT PROCESSING DETAILS/FORM.

(1) Your complete contact address:
(2) Your Tel/Mobile numbers:
(3) Your Nationality/Country:
(4) Your Full Name:
(5) Occupation/Company:
(6) Age/Gender:
(7) Have you ever won an online lottery?
(8) What is your comment on Google Product and services?
(9) Alternative email account if any:

So you are hereby strongly advised once more to keep your winnings strictly
confidential until you claim your prize.
Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the Google interactive Lotteries
Board Commission.

Sincerely,
Larry Page
Google CEO/Chairman.

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam