419 scam: "Facebook Promo"<charles@zenith-bpo.net> Re: Facebook Email Promotion

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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")
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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.
- michelledavidsongift@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Facebook Promo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michelledavidsongift@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2015 08:05:08 -0700
Subject: Re: Facebook Email Promotion

FACEBOOK Lottery Inc.

Fiduciary Agent: Michelle Davidson

(Online Transfer Dept.)

Email: michelledavidsongift@hotmail.com

Tel: +17603491019

Our Dear Esteemed Account User,

We write officially to inform you that your FACEBOOK Online Account has WON you a huge amount of money in this year FACEBOOK Promotion.

The FACEBOOK Team are Giving out Billions of Prizes in this YEAR'S 2015 Promotion to encourage the usage of FACEBOOK in the OCEANIA Geographical Region.

We are therefore happy to Notify you that you are the proud winner of our star prize of £800,000 GBP (EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND GREAT BRITISH POUNDS !!!)

For the avoidance of doubt, your FACEBOOK account was selected through our administrative database from over two million active FACEBOOK profiles from your OCEANIA Geographical Region as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually. This was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the FACEBOOK Users from your Local country in the Aspect that impacts individual lifestyle worldwide. Further more your details (FACEBOOK account) falls within our Turkish representative office in NORTHERN CYPRUS, and your prize of 800,000 GBP (EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND GREAT BRITISH POUNDS !!! would be released from our regional office in NORTHERN CYPRUS.

For the fast processing of your payment in your country, you have been advised to contact your online cordinator “Mrs MICHELLE DAVIDSON” with the required information listed below for quick payment.

1. FULL NAMES:

2. DATE OF BIRTH:

3. SEX:

5. CONTACT ADDRESS:

6. EMAIL ADDRESS:

7. TELEPHONE NUMBER:

8. OCCUPATION:

You are to Contact this email provided for quick payment in your country: michelledavidsongift@hotmail.com

Kindly send the above requested data by REPLYING DIRECTLY to this Notification Message so as to receive further information of the payment office to effect the release of your claim of £800,000 BRITISH POUNDS in anyway you deem fit.

Kindly go ahead and contact your FACEBOOK PAYMENT AGENT Mrs Michelle Davidson through this email address provided; michelledavidsongift@hotmail.com

Congratulations once more from all Members and Staffs of this Lottery Promotion.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam