419 scam: "First Choice"<danilina@o56.ru> Re: Respond Immediately

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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:
- "claim 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!
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.
- fengchen@terra.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "First Choice" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nfwce10@att.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:06:36 +0700
Subject: Re: Respond Immediately

First Choice Foundation Lottery:
>From First Choice Foundation Lottery In conjunction with National Geographic Magazine

We are happy to announce to you that you have won award of $1,750,000 at the Accra Payment Center.
Email Address Ticket Number: 71*44*90*37*24*18
Email Address Serial Number: 2216815
Email Address Batch Number: CN/BG0402
Email Address Reference Number: CN.BX.002110
DRAW DATE: August 13TH 2011

Your email address name attached to a ticket number: 71*44*90*37*24*18 with the serial number: 2216815 drew the lucky number which consequently won the draw in the 1st category. Your email address was among the (10) email addresses chosen to receive grand prize of US$1,750,000.00 each in this section. Therefore you must contact your Claim Agent.

Mr Chen Feng
Email: fengchen@terra.com
First Choice Foundation Lottery
Address: Accra International Center

He will need to confirm the details we have in file to ensure that there will be no set backs upon the release of these funds to you. I want you to know that verification and confirmation of all of your payment documents have been sent to our affiliate company, The International Lottery Board of Commissions from our processing office.

Also, be rest assured that your winning will be sent to you as {ATM Card or Bank Transfer} which can be used in any ATM machine worldwide. This will be issued from our paying bank.

Your won prize cannot be deducted, simply because this is a promotional award, until prize is released to you due to strict insurance policy. After you have received your money, we expect you to use some of the money to spread Internet knowledge within your locality and remember to support our next promotion. We have five clearance offices zoned continentally AUSTRALIA, CHINA, USA,LONDON & AFRICA. Clearance zones are picked randomly by computer, each winning number falls within any of the clearance zones picked, it is the duty of the approved zonal clearance officer to handle all clearance processes to make sure bank releases won prize in time. Your prize number falls within Africa region clearance office in Ghana, Accra . Your clearance agent will facilitate payment process immediately you contact her. Do get back to us with the following for swift procession.

Full Name: Marital Status: Age: Occupation: Home Phone: Mobile Phone: City/Country: Nationality: Ref No: Batch No:

We await your swift response.
Thank You For Your Co-operation and Congratulations Once More
Mr. Chen Feng

Confidentiality Notice: This communication is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged,confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination,distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you received this in error, please notify the sender and immediately delete the message.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam