419 scam: Google =?iso-8859-1?b?SW5jb3BvcmF0aW9uc6k=?= <awards@google.com> Anniversary Verification Notice.

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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 office" (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!
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.
- obrien.google@email.com (Email; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Google =?iso-8859-1?b?SW5jb3BvcmF0aW9uc6k=?= <awards@google.com>
Reply-To: Google.Incoporation@london.com
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 06:53:31 +0100
Subject: Anniversary Verification Notice.

Google Corporation Manchester Peter House Oxford Street =20
Manchester M4 6AN Manchester. United Kingdom =A0 =A0 _HAPPY GOOGLE =20
ANNIVERSARY._ =A0 On the 4th of September 1998, Google was =20
incorporated as a privately held company. Google Corporation is one =20
company that earns its profit mainly from advertising using their very =20
own Google search engine, Gmail , Gala, Sify, e-mail service Google =20
Maps, Google Apps, Orkut social networking and YouTube video sharing, =20
which are all offered to the public for free. =A0 We wish to =20
congratulate you once again, for being selected as a winner in the =20
ongoing Happy Google Anniversary Promotion. Hence we do believe with =20
your prize, you will continue to be active in your patronage to =20
Google. =A0 =A0 A Bank Draft will be issued in your name by the Google =
=20
Promotion Board, you have therefore won the entire sum of=A0 =20
450,000.00GBP{Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds} =20
and also a certificate of claim price will be sent alongside your Bank =20
Draft. =A0 CONTACT CLAIMS OFFICE: Google Promotion Board =20
Email:obrien.google@email.com =A0 Do e-mail the Claims office at once =20
with the Verification and Funds release form below for validation of =20
your prize and to avoid unnecessary delay. =A0 _VERIFICATION AND FUNDS =20
RELEASE FORM._ =A0 .Residential Address: .Tel (Mobile): =20
.Nationality/Country: .Full Name: .Age/Sex: .Occupation/Position: =20
.What is your comment on Google? =A0 You are advised to contact the =20
Claims Office with the following details (REF NO: GC/468-642GC/P, =20
BATCH: GC064WIN). =A0 For security reasons, you are advised to keep =20
your winning information confidential till your claims are processed =20
and your money remitted to you. This is part of our precautionary =20
measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program =20
by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. =A0 Congratulations =20
from the Staffs & Members of Google Board Commission. =A0 Dr.Eric =20
Schmidt. Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. =A92010 =20
Google Corporation.

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