419 scam: "GOOGLE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION LETTER"<customer@panobook.com> Google Incorporation 2014 ©

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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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "certified bank draft" (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. )
- "ericschmidt.guk89@careceo.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- ericschmidt.guk89@googlemail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "GOOGLE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION LETTER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ericschmidt.guk89@careceo.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2014 13:53:15 -0600
Subject: Google Incorporation 2014 ©

Google UK Ltd

Belgrave House

76 Buckingham Palace Rd.

London SW1W 9TQ

United Kingdom.

Ref No: GFSP/ 3347/920/2014

Batch: GFSP/ 920/GPWIN/UK

OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION LETTER

It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a surprise but please find time to

read it carefully as we congratulate you over your success in the following official

publication of results of the E-mail Electronic Online Sweepstakes Organized by Google,

in conjunction with the foundation for the Promotion of Software Products, (F.P.S.) held

here in London UK. Google earns its profit mainly from advertising using their very own

Google search engine, Gmail , Gala, Sify, e-mail service Google Maps, Google Apps,

Orkut social networking and You Tube video sharing, which are all offered to the public

for free.

We wish to congratulate you once again, for being among the Twenty (20) selected

winners of Category C in the ongoing E-mail Electronic Online Sweepstakes. Hence we

do believe with your prize, you will continue to be active in your patronage to Google and

its Products. A Bank Draft of £500,000.00 GBP {Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds}

will be issued in your name by our Foreign Payment Bureau and also a certificate of prize

claim will be sent alongside your Bank Draft.

You are advised to contact our Foreign Payment Bureau with the following details

below for the Processing of your Claims:

FOREIGN PAYMENT CLAIMS FORM

1) Your Full Names:

2) Your Contact Address:

3) Your Contact Telephone/Mobile Number:

4) Your Nationality/Country:

5) Occupation:

6) Age/Gender:

7) Private Email Address:

8) Ever Won An Online Lottery?

9) How Do You Feel As A Winner?

MODE OF PRIZE REMITTANCE: (Please choose from below)

(1) Cash Pick-Up (You as the Beneficiary coming Down to UK to receive your

Award personally).

(2) Courier Delivery of your Certified Bank Draft in your Name and other Winning

Documents safely to you.

Google values your right to privacy! Your information is 100% secured and will be used

exclusively for the purpose of this promotion only.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Send all response to our Foreign Payment Bureau officer below:

Eric Schmidt

Executive Chairman (Claims Team)

Email: ericschmidt.guk89@googlemail.com

ericschmidt.guk89@careceo.com

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

NOTE!!! For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information

confidential till your claims are processed and your money remitted to you. This is part

of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this

program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be WARNED!!!!

Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of Google Board Commission.

MD Matt Brittin,

Chairman of the Board and Managing Director,

Google United Kingdom.

©2014 Google Incorporation.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam