419 scam: "UK LOTTERY ORGANIZATION"<mgscommunications@vcimail.com> RE: Your e-mail address has won you USD$4,600,000.

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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:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
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: "UK LOTTERY ORGANIZATION"<mgscommunications@vcimail.com>
Reply-To: <marion_walter01@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:54:38 +0100
Subject: RE: Your e-mail address has won you USD$4,600,000.

UK LOTTERY ORGANIZATION
TICKET FREE/ONLINE E-MAIL ADDRESS winning DEPARTMENT.
Are you the correct owner of this email address? If yes then be glad this day as the result of the UK lotto, online and e-mail address free-ticket draws of AUG 28th 2010 held in Bangkok-Thailand has just been released and we are glad to announce to you that your email address came out in the first category and entitles you to claim the sum of US$4.6 Million.
Your email address was entered for the online draw on this free ticket number: ADXA0352819 and won on this Lucky number: AZ6OZOR030ABX. Your reply to this message will be expected and our Appointed Claims Agent (Mr. Walter Marion) will proceed with you. MAKE SURE you include the below listed information in your reply email:
Your complete official names and address, Country of origin and country of residence, Contact telephone and mobile numbers, Sex, Age, Occupation and job title. Amount won: US$4,600,000, Lucky number: AZ6OZOR030ABX, Free ticket number: ADXA0352819, Date of draw: AUGUST 28th 2010.

You can receive your UK Lottery winning fund of US$4,600,000 in either of the two following ways:
1: BY DELIVERY OF A US$4,600,000 CHEQUE/CHECK TO YOUR ADDRESS.
2: BANK TO BANK WIRE TRANSFER OF THE US$4,600,000 INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

Have it in mind that if you choose 1 or 2 above, the fee for wire transfer or cheque/check delivery will be on you. This is because you are a free ticket, email address and online winner and the UK Lottery Organization covers only the claims expenses of winners that purchased our lottery tickets. No form of deduction will be possible from the US$4,600,000 because the fund has been covered with a payment seal to avoid mismanagement of winner's funds.
UK.L.O.
Online Winning Notification Department.

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Genus Power Infrastructure Ltd, Jaipur, India

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam