419 scam: "FREE LOTTO PROMO" <info@free.com> (no subject)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claims agent" (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)
- "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)
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.
- freelot_desk@hotmail.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "FREE LOTTO PROMO" <info@free.com>
Reply-To: freelot_desk@hotmail.co.uk
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:19:47 -0600
Subject:

FROM THE DESKTOP OF THE FREE LOTTO PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD
DEPARTMENT/AWARD NOTIFICATION
Berkeley Super kings Tobacco 98132,
Ref: UK/9420X2/68 Batch: 074/05/ZY369
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
AWARD NOTIFICATION

Your E-mail address, attached to ticket number 27522465896-3123, with
serial number 37720098 drew the lucky numbers 7-14-18-31-45, and
consequently won in the 2nd Category of the lottery. You have therefore
been approved for a lump sum of ?550,000 in cash credited to file REF NO:
Ref: K/9420X2/68.This is from total prize money of ?35,000,000.00 shared
among the various International winners in this category. All
participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
30,000 names and 30,000,000 E-mail addresses from Australia, New Zealand,
America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa as part of our
International Promotions Program, which is conducted twice a year.

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now available for claim. Due to the mix up of some numbers and
names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until
your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account. This
is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous
acts by participants of this promotion. To begin your claim, please contact
your claim agent Mr. Paul Garrett send, your occupation, Tel ,Age, Names,
Country ,Alternative E-mail for claims.

NOTE:
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to
quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences
with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address,
do inform your claims Agent as soon as possible and send your Name,
Address, Location, Telephone number, country for verification.

Congratulations once again.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Paul Garrett
freelot_desk@hotmail.co.uk
Claims Agent.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam