419 scam: LOTERIA PRIMITIVA LOTTO <loteria@virgilio.it> YOU HAVE BEEN APPROVEDNNER !!!MELOT UNIVERSAL PROMPŒë¸"

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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:
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claims office" (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)
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.
- +34696331297 (Spain, 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.
- loteria00@netscape.net (Netscape; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: LOTERIA PRIMITIVA LOTTO <loteria@virgilio.it>
Reply-To: loteria00@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 17:11:24 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
Subject: YOU HAVE BEEN APPROVED

LOTERIA PRIMITIVA
AWARD/PROMOTIONAL DEPARTMENT
VALENCIA.SPAIN.

We are please to announce you as one of the 12 lucky winners in the
email lottery programme draw of the LOTERIA PRIMITIVA held on the 12th
of october 2005. All 12 winning addresses were randomly selected from a
batch of 100,000,000 international emails Your email address emerged
along sidewith 12 others as a category 6 winner in this year's loteria
primitiva award Draw.
Most recently the foundation set up the NEW HOPE
LOTTERY to give out prizes based on the computer ballot system(
THEREFORE YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY A TICKET TO ENTER FOR IT.YOUR EMAIL
ADDRESS WAS RANDOMLY SELECTED AS A WINNER ).

Consequently,you have
therefore been approved a MEGA JACK POT of 1,427,159.00 euro ( One
million,four hundred and twenty seven thousand,one hundred and fifty-
nine euro )only.The following particulars are attached to your lotto
payment order:

(i) Result winning numbers:16-27-35-43-46-47-2-4
(ii)
email ticket number: FL754/22/76
(iii) Lotto code number: PDP98643JK
(iv) The file Ref number: FL/04/67903456/SP

Please,note that you will
be require to notarized and obtained a vetting approval before your
winning prize can be transfered.To immediately claim your prize,contact
the claim/paying agent below.

LOTERIA TRUST AGENCY S.L
=========================
Mr.Marus Antonio
Calle Barcalona 63.5678,
Alicante,spain.
TEL:0034-696-331-297
EMAIL TO:loteria00@netscape.net

The above claim agent will assist you in the processing and remittance
of your prize funds to you,note not later than one week After this date
if you do not contact and process your winning prize, all funds will be
returned as unclaimed.call the above number for more details.

N.B:
Procedures to claiming your prize:
********************************************
1.Please quote your
Reference number in all correspondence with the claims
officer.
2.
Indicate your full name and Address,Country,Telephone,Mobile and Fax
Number and Occupation.

Once again on behalf of all our staff,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sincerely,

MARIA LOMAS.
Promotions Manager
The
Loteria Primitiva

---------------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail transmission contains information that is confidential
and
may be privileged.It is intended only for the addressee(s) named above,
make sure you contact your claim agent above.Also make sure you send
down your phone and your fax number to your claim agent agent for
effective communication.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam