419 scam: MegaMillion <wasdzcx@verizon.net> MegaMillion

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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")
- "cashiers check" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "daviscarpenter@ozu.es" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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!

Fraud email example:

From: MegaMillion <wasdzcx@verizon.net>
Reply-To: daviscarpenter@ozu.es
Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 01:49:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: MegaMillion

The MegaMillion Lottery S.A
Suite 34,D 4 Plaza Europa Espana
28000 Madrid
Spain

Dear Lucky Winner

The Mega-Million Lotter S.A wishes to inform you that you have won the sum of â‚¬600.000.00(Six Hundred Thousand Euros Only).
The Mega-Million Lotter S.A . draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 13 lucky emails of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer search. No tickets were sold, below is your winning and claim reference information.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Ticket Nr: TNL 07482148372 97427.
Batch Nr: TNL 97635197437-ZQG/2010.
Security File Nr: 850197731.
Ref Nr: TNL 770270289/ES 957.
-----------------------------------------------------------

You are required to process your winnings as quickly as possible to enable your payment processing agent release your money into your nominated account or through certified cashiers check delivery to your address.

Please quote your Reference number in all correspondence with the claims officer.
Â
claims officer
Mr.: Davis Carpenter
Email:daviscarpenter@ozu.es

Furthermore, should there be any change of address do Inform the CLAIM AGENT as soon as possible.

AGREEMENT:
The Mega-Million Lotter S.A and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the 2010 National Lottery day celebration hereby Agrees, That the winning information written above are the orignal winning information as it was selected by the computer on 27th day of April 2010, And that the winner who these winning information has been sent to,will be paid the winning sum of â‚¬600.000.00 without fail.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff.
Once again on behalf of all our staff CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified..
Congratulations.

Mrs.Marie Young.
Winnings Coordinator
***************************************************************************
This email may contain information which is confidential and/or Privileged. The information is intended solely for the use of the Individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient
Be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents is prohibited. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, Please notify the sender by telephone or return email and delete the
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