419 scam: "O2 TELECOMMUNICATION"<2010alert@o2.co.uk> O2 TELECOMMUNICATION

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- ",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)
- "cheque " (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. )
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!
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "O2 TELECOMMUNICATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <payment@email-award.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 10:05:08 +0100
Subject: O2 TELECOMMUNICATION

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

Ticket number: {GA44 Y66HB-5855 B4}

We happily announce you the draw of O2TELECOMMUNICATION program held in London United Kingdom on 1st January 2010, which your e-mail address attached to our ticket number: {GA44 Y66HB-5855 B4} subsequently won you the lottery in 3rd category winners and you have been approved to receive certified cashier's prize cheque valued - five million Great Britain Pounds (5,000,000.00 GBP) only.

All participants were selected randomly from world wide web-sites, through computer draw system, extracted from over (120,000.00) individuals and companies as promotion takes place only for this season before play coupon begins.

Amount won, is from total cash prize of fifteen million Great Britain Pounds (15,000,000.00 GBP) only, organized by O2TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANY, shared among three lucky winners in this year coupon draw; and your lucky winning number falls within our United Kingdom booklet representative office in Berkshire as indicated in your winning coupon for claim.

Note; 3rd category winners are obliged to pay nine hundred fifty six Great Britain Pounds (956.00 GBP) only, to receiving account officer: HENDERSON ELIZABETH, via western union money transfer or money gram money transfers for insurance coverage of the cheque and immediate delivery to your address within (48) hours.

You are further advised to e-mail: us your name and current residence address together with money transferred control numbers for confirmation of the fee and immediate delivery of prize cheque to your address within (48) hours as scheduled.

Best regards,

Dr. Mathew Ralph,

O2TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
{Claims Department Manager}

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam