419 scam: "SWEEPSTAKE EMAIL LOTTO"<info@successsignature.net> Congrats! You have won our Email Lotto! $215,810

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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:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "foreign service manager" (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.
- thomasmark_355@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "SWEEPSTAKE EMAIL LOTTO" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thomasmark_355@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 14:17:07 -0600
Subject: Congrats! You have won our Email Lotto! $215,810

Congrats! You have won our email lotto $215,810

REF.NO.EG/2251256003/01

BATCH NO. 000750013

    This is to inform you on the release of the EL-GORDO SWEEPSTAKE EMAIL LOTTO

PROGRAM held on the 19th OF November 2014.

Your email address was attached to ticket number 025-11-464-992-750 with serial number 2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 13-15-16-21-34-36 which consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.

       You have therefore approved for a lump sum payout of USD215,810.00 (TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND TEN UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) in cash credited to file with REF.NO.EG/2251256003/01 and BATCH NO. 000750013.

      This is from a total cash prize of USD 1,468,770 (ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY US DOLLARS ONLY) shared among 17 (Seventeen) international winners in this category, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

      Your fund is now deposited with an Investment company and insured with your email address.

      Due to mix up of some numbers and email address, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of an advantage of this program by participants.

      All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, America and North America as part of our international promotions program which we conduct once every year.

We hope youre lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the next years high stake USD 1.1 BILLION inter lottery.

       To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent, Mr Thomas Mark the Foreign Service Manager of SANTA LUCIA SECURITY COMPANY. on thomasmark_355@hotmail.com for the processing and remittance of your winning prize money to a designation of your choice.

      Remember, All prize money must be claimed not later than 30th of December 2014 And also be informed that 10% of your Lottery Winning will be paid to SANTA LUCIA SECURITY COMPANY after you have received your money.

Email: thomasmark_355@hotmail.com for further details.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam