419 scam: "MANDATE"<mandate_paul@yahoo.com> Lotto

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- ",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)
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.
- nhenry@gmx.ch (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MANDATE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nhenry@gmx.ch>
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:22:28 +0100
Subject: Lotto

FROM THE DESKTOP OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
De Lotto Switzerland 41132,
NL-1007 SWISS-ZURICH.

AWARD NOTIFICATION

We wish to inform you of the lottery draws held between 24th of February, 2012 by the SWISS LOTTO ZURICH HIGH STAKES INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS LOTTERY.

Your email address, attached to ticket number 27522465896-6453, with serial number 3772-554 drew the lucky numbers 7-14-18-31-45, and consequently won in the 2nd Category of the lottery.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum of 1,000,000.00 EUROS in cash credited to file REF NO: 538901527-BC68. This is from the total prize money of 30,000,000.00 EUROS shared among the various international winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 30,000 names and 30,000,000 email addresses from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa as part of our International Promotions Program, which is conducted twice a year.

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now available for claim. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this promotion. We hope with part of your prize, you will participate in our next year high stakes 5,000,000.00 Euros International Lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim Agent

MR. HENRY NELSON
Trust Corporations.
nhenry@gmx.ch

For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than one month after notice. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again and thank you for being part of our lottery promotions.

Sincerely yours,

PROMOTIONS MANAGER

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam