419 scam: <emilia.cunningham@virgilio.it> Payment notification from e-mail lottery!TIONNTY PROMO TODAY.!!!PŒë¸"

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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:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "high insurance policy" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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 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.
- +31645523120 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- royaltrustbv@netscape.net (Netscape; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: <emilia.cunningham@virgilio.it>
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 16:47:15 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
Subject: Payment notification from e-mail lottery!

Payment notification from e-mail lottery!
THE LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.

RE / AWARD
NOTIFICATION
BACTH NO: LHTE/EU/1599/66788
REF. No:
LHTE/EU/1570/60654/002

WINNING NOTIFICATION / PROCESSING ADVICE
This
is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL LOTTERY BALLOT
INTERNATIONAL/ WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 10th,of December 2005.
Due to the mix up of number, the results were released on the 15th of
December 2005.
Your email address attached to Ticket No:4586394333 with
Serial No 2114654777 drew the lucky numbers of 04-01-55-40-89 which
subsequently won the lottery in the
1st category.You are therefore
been approved for a lump sum payout of
1.000,000.00 EUROS (ONE MILLION
EUROS ONLY) in credit to a file
reference number KHLM8774352087. This
is from total prize money of
7.000,000.00(SEVEN MILLION EUROS )shared
among the international
winners in our 1st -5th categories.

All
participants were selected through a computer ballot
system drawn form
25,000 company email addresses and 3,000,000
individual email
addresses from all search engines and website all over
the world as
part of International Promotions Program,conducted every
TWO years and
this is promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities.

CONGRATULATIONS! Your funds is now in custody of a BANK insured in
your
FILE REFERENCE number and covered with HIGH INSURANCE POLICY.Due
to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning
information confidential until your claims has been processed and your
money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid
double claiming and unwarranted
abuse of this program by some
participants.

To process your claim, please contact your file/claim
officer:

MR, PETER SEEDORF.
Tel:0031-645-523-120.
email to:
royaltrustbv@netscape.net

Make sure that you quote your winning
references in all your correspondence with them.Please be informed that
NON RESIDENCE oF NETHERLANDS will be required
to procure an Affidavits
of LottoClaim/Court clearance certificate from the Court in
NETHERLANDS
prior to European Gaming Board as required by the paying Authority.
Please be aware that your Paying Authority will Effect Payment Swiftly
upon satisfactory Report, For due processing and remittance of your
winning prize to designated account of your choice, please treat as
urgent.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications,
please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one
of your correspondences
with your agent and all reply must be via
email as to ensure the legibility.
Furthermore, should there be any
change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as
possible.
Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 31th of
December 2005.After this date all unclaimed, funds will be included in
the next stake.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff
and thank you for being part of our promotional
program.

Yours
Sincerely,
Emilia Cunningham.
Lottery Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam