419 scam: Facebook Lottery Winning <jimmychurchill1971@gmail.com> CONGRATULATIONS FROM FACEBOOK!

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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:
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
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.
- facebooklott_department11@usa.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Facebook Lottery Winning <jimmychurchill1971@gmail.com>
Reply-To: facebooklott_department11@usa.com
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2014 00:56:02 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS FROM FACEBOOK!

CONGRATULATIONS FROM FACEBOOK!

Facebook the largest Social Networking site valued more than $100 Billion
Dollars and also expecting its One Billion Users to come mainly from Mobile
devices than desktop Users by 2014, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has
decided to boost Users and Companies a WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY by Lottery
Program and Initial Public Offer said in a press release.

So We are pleased to inform you of the result of the NEW YEAR DRAW held on
(28th of August 2014) by Facebook Company in cash Promotion to encourage
the usage of Facebook users world wide, your Name and Email was among the
50 Lucky winners who won $300,000:00 USD (Three Hundred Thousand United
State Dollars) each on the Face book promotion Award Attached to Ticket
Number (5647600545189), Ref No (2551256002/244) and Serial Number
(55643451907).

The online draw was Conducted by a random selection of email you where
picked by an Advanced automated random computer search from the Facebook in
other to claim your $300.000.00 USD the lottery program which is a new
innovation by Facebook, His aimed at saying A BIG THANK to you all our
users for making Facebook your number one Social Networking to hook up with
their families and friends all over the World.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and
unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants and Scam artists All
participants were selected through a computer ballot system with their
email addresses and names from all over the world.

Thanks to the FBI and the Software Company corporation to block few
individuals web site and email addresses.

Your name and email was selected in a raffle draw that was made 28th of
August 2014 so we need your fast response so that we can proceed with the
delivery of your fund.

You are required to contact our dispatch dept via emai(
facebooklott_department11@usa.com, Contact Name:Patrick Widen) in order for
us to complete your Winning Certificate and for further information
regarding the disbursement of your lottery win.

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your
Ticket, Reference and Batch Numbers in all correspondences.
Furthermore, if there is any change in email address please contact us on
time.

If you are not interested please do not bother to reply and CONGRATULATIONS
ONCE AGAIN FROM FACEBOOK!

Thanks,
Erskine Bowles.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam