419 scam: Ms Johnson <mikeadamsll11@gmail.com> CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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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:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "foreign service manager" (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 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.
- +447043073439 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +447031746622 (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.
- mikeadamslottosc@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Ms Johnson <mikeadamsll11@gmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mikeadamslottosc@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:13:36 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Yahoo Awards Center 124 Stockport Road, Longsight, Manchester M60 2DB United Kingdom This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of Four Hundred, Twenty Thousand Great Britain Pounds (£420,000,00.) for the month of June/July 2011, Prize promotion which is organized by YAHOO AWARDS & WINDOWS LIVE. Stated below are your identification numbers: BATCH NUMBER: MFI/06/APA-43658 REFERENCE NUMBER: 2006234522 PIN: 1206 These numbers fall within the London Location file, you are requested to contact our fiduciary agent in London and send your winning identification numbers to him; Below you will find a Documentation Form, requesting you're required Particulars. YAHOO ONLINE DOCUMENTATION FORM FULL NAMES:________________________ __________ ADDRESS: ______________________________ ___________________ CITY:_________________________ STATE:________________________ __________ ZIP: _____________________ PHONE:/FAX____________________ ______________ COUNTRY_______________________ _________ SEX:_______________ AGE:__________________ MARITAL STATUS: _________________ OCCUPATION: ________________________ E-MAIL ADDRESS: _____________________________ NATIONALITY___________________ ______ You are required to fill and submit the above particulars to our Overseas Claims/United Kingdom Payment Unit with the below email address. Overseas Claims/Exchange Online Payment Unit Lottery Fiduciary Agents: Dr Mike Adams Foreign Service Manager Overseas Subscribers Agent 62 Islip Road Oxford, London OX2 7SP United Kingdom Tel: + 44 7031746622 Fax +44 7043073439 Email: mikeadamslottosc@gmail.com CONGRATULATIONS!!! At your disposal, I remain. Yours in service, Godwin Johnson WARNING! Do not tell people about your Prize Award until your money is successfully handed over to you to avoid disqualification that may arise from double claim. You may also receive similar e-mails from people portraying to be other Organizations or Yahoo Inc. This is solely to collect your personal information from you and lay claim over your winning. In event that you receive any e-mail similar to the notification letter that was sent to you, kindly delete it from your mail box and give no further correspondence to such person or body. Yahoo shall not be held responsible for any loss of fund arising from the above mentioned!

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam