419 scam: "FACEBOOK INC."<INFO@facebook.com> CONGRATULATIONS! LUCKY WINNER

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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:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "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)
- ",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)
- "facebook.inc@groupmail.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!

Fraud email example:

From: "FACEBOOK INC." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <facebook.inc@groupmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:45:08 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS! LUCKY WINNER

Dear Winner.

We are pleased to inform you of your prize release this month FACEBOOK Online Cash Splash Promo FACEBOOK drawing. This promo is based entirely on random selection of winners through our internet processing unit. Your name is attached to Ticket Number: (F465760054815), Reference Number: (B3771254006 / 58) which consequently won in this year 2014 category "B''.

A lump sum payment of US$1,000,000.00 (ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) has been approved in cash credit file number: (FB254, 345,609,865.) of the total cash prize shared among ten lucky winners in this Category “B”. All winners were selected through our region of the United Kingdom by our processing system of Internet voting unit from nine hundred million users across Canada, Australia, South America, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotion program held annually in promoting FACEBOOK Network as the world's leading social networks.Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential

To file for your claims, please contact our fiduciary agent;

Mr. Gardner, Dick Benjamin

Email: facebook.inc@groupmail.com

APPLICATION FOR PAYMENT

NAME ...........................................

DATE OF BIRTH ..................................

ADDRESS ........................................

SEX ............................................

MARITAL STATUS..................................

NATIONALITY ....................................

OCCUPATION .....................................

TELEPHONE ......................................

EMAIL ..........................................

Thank you for your FACEBOOK network registration

TODD MEGSON

FACEBOOK Global Inc. # 38849

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam