419 scam: offices program <officesprogram@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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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.
- officesprogram@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: offices program <officesprogram@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 10 May 2014 22:44:22 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS

RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION

CONGRATULATIONS,YOU ARE THE winners of the INTERNATIONAL LOTTO PROGRAMS
held on 30TH of April 2014 as part of our first quarter of the year LOTTO
PROGRAM. Your attached to ticket number 034-1416-4612-750, with serial
number 6521-11, and consequently won the lottery in category C.

You have been approved for a lump sum amount out of US$1.2Million in cash
credited to file REF: EKS255125600304 . This is from total prize money of
US$16,800,000.00 shared among 14 winners, in this category. All
participants were selected through a computer balloting system drawn from
50,000 names from Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe and North
America and Oceania as part our International Promotions Program, which is
conducted annually.

MICHAEL WILSON
Contact: officesprogram@gmail.com
EQUITY INVESTMENT LIMITED,

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam