419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:
- "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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.
- chevroletcarcompanyprmoaward@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: CHEVROLET CAR COMPANY Online Award 2014
<ford809@ford809.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <chevroletcarcompanyprmoaward@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 18:15:29 +0530
Subject: CHEVROLET ONLINE LOTTERY.

CHEVROLET ONLINE LOTTERY
PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
CHEVROLET AVENUE STAMFORD
BRIDGE LONDON
SW1V 3DW
UNITED KINGDOM.

Dear e-Mail Winner:

your email id has won Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds {500,000.0=
0} GBP in 2014, Chevrolet Award and Chevrolet car from the Chevrolet compan=
y award organization first time ever, We brought out your e-mail address fr=
om a Data Base of Ballot Electronic Internet Email Users and qualified you =
a benefited winner of the stated winning amount and Chevrolet Car, in the o=
ngoing ?4.2million Spring award charity bonanza for London's heritage, The =
CHEVROLET awards Fund gives grants to sustain and transform individual live=
s all over the globe world for the less privilege once; we are here to use =
our diverse heritage to change lives in every part of the global world. Thi=
s is being conducted to express gratitude to the Billions of our buyers all=
over the world, Including Europe, Asia, America, Africa etc.
How ever, we expect that you as a lucky winner should exercise some charity=
around you by favouring those who are not lucky enough to be located and s=
elected in this free offer. If your age is not up to adult age, and you are=
lucky to fall into this luck, please contact your guardians / Parents to t=
ake charge of this to avoid mis-management of the fund. Fill the form below=
form and contact your claim manager as soon as possible to avoid cancellat=
ion of batch.

PLEASE FILL THIS FUND RELEASE FORM AND SEND IT TO YOUR CLAIM MANAGE
Required**Information
Prefix (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., etc.):

1. Full Name:
2. Full Address:
3. State:
4. Occupation:
5. Age:
6. Sex:
7. Nationality/Country:
8. Winning Email:
9. Valid Phone Mobile Number:

Your Online coordinator
Mr. Wilson
Chevrolet Motors Company Department,
E-mail:chevroletcarcompanyprmoaward@gmail.com =

Valid ID Proof (Send as email attachment)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam