419 scam: "VK PROMO"<noreply-winning@vk.com> YOU HAVE WON

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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!
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- +447024062098 (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.
- barryrodewill@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "VK PROMO" (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2014 22:11:20 -0700
Subject: YOU HAVE WON

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
VK EMAIL PROMOTION 2014.
REG NO: GLNL/009842/04.
HOMEPAGE: http://www.vk.com//

Your Email has won $480,000.00 (Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand United States Dollars) in the concluded draw held today. Read more http://www.vk.com/win/winning-numbers

VK is the largest European social network with more than a 100 million active users and we are pleased to inform you of the announcement made in the VK PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM today. All Email addresses were RANDOMLY drawn from a collation of database all over the world as part of International Promotions Program, which is conducted Biennially.

Your Email address was attached to ticket number 016-130877 with ballot number NL46560 which drew the lucky numbers 43-11-44-37-10-43, and consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category. You are among the 20 lucky winners of the VK INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM.

For your Prize Claiming, Contact Barrister Roderick Abbott directly via the information below.

PAYMENT OFFICE LONDON BRANCH
Name: Barrister Roderick Abbott(Esq)
Contact Email: barryrodewill@aol.com
Telephone #: +447024062098

You are required to contact him with your informations below:

* TICKET NUMBER- 016-130877
* BALLOT NUMBER- NL46560
* WINNING AMOUNT- $480,000.00
* FULL NAME-
* FULL ADDRESS-
* AGE-
* SEX-
* MARITAL STATUS-
* DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER-
* OCCUPATION-
* NATIONALTY-
* HOW DO YOU FEEL-

*You are advised to submit the above informations to enable him attend to your file. In our past 2012 program, VK discovered a huge number of double claims due to winners informing close friends, relatives and third parties about their winnings and also sharing their Claim numbers. You are hereby strongly advised to keep your winnings strictly confidential until you claim your prize. Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the interactive Lotteries Board Commission.

Congratulations once again.
Member & Staff
Straicy Sweeny
2014 VK Program
VK EMAIL PROMOTION 2014.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam