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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Google Incorporation" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <validating.department@careceo.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 04:53:23 -0800
Subject: Google Award Notification GINC/7751863

Google UK Ltd
Belgrave House 76
Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9TQ
United Kingdom.
 
Google Celebrates Search Giant
 
Reference Number: GINC/7751863
 
Dear Google User!
 
We wish to congratulate you for being selected as a major customer of the Google Incorporation. A promotion has being put in place for all active users of the Google search engine and other Google products to encourage all users.
 
We ran an online E-mail beta test from Millions of Google users which your E-mail address came up as a winner. Google is now the biggest search engine worldwide and in an effort to ensure that it remains the most widely used search engine.
 
We thereby formally inform you that you successfully passed the requirements, legal requirements and satisfactory report from all online test conducted and you have been awarded the sum of £950,000.00 GBP {Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds Sterling. With your file reference number: GINC/7751863, believing that with your winning prize you will continue to be active on the Google search engine and other Google products.
 
A winning Cheque/international certified bank draft will be issued in your name by Google Promotion Award Team, we write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contact the processing office immediately upon receipt of this message for more information concerning the verification, processing and eventual payment of the above prize to you.
 
Provide Below Information for Verification
 
Residential Address:
Tel: /Mobile:
Nationality: / Country:
Full Name:
Age: /Gender:
Occupation: /Position:
Alternative email account if any:
What is your comment On Google Products?
 
To file for your claim, you are required to contact our Validating department for VALIDATION of your winnings within Twenty-nine working days of this winning notification. Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of winning notification are termed void and invalid.
 
CONTACT:
********************************************************
Martin Hillman
Google Incorporation
Telephone: +44-703-191-4542
Fax: +44-700-580-0397
E-mail: martinhillman@gpawardprom.com
E-mail: validating.department@careceo.com
********************************************************
 
Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the Google interactive Lotteries Board Commission.
 
MD Matt Brittin
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
 
©2014 Google Incorporation Powered by Google

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