419 scam: "Google Incorporation" <biuro@bezdomnosc.pl> Official Google Sweepstakes

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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:
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Google Incorporation" <biuro@bezdomnosc.pl>
Reply-To: google-sweepstakesverification@webname.com
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2016 05:11:11 -0800
Subject: Official Google Sweepstakes

Google Inc.
Belgrave House 76 =

Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9TQ
United Kingdom.
Reference Number: GAAP/6168/657
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 use=
rs of the Google search engine and other Google products to encourage all u=
sers. =

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 engin=
e 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 requiremen=
ts, legal requirements and satisfactory report from all online test conduct=
ed and you have been awarded the sum of =E2=201A=A4950,000.00 GBP {Nine Hun=
dred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds Sterling. With your file refer=
ence number: GAAP/6168/657, believing that with your winning prize you will=
continue to be active on the Google search engine and other Google product=
s.
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 u=
pon receipt of this message for verification, processing and eventual payme=
nt of the above prize to you.
Verification
1) Your Full Names: =

2) Your Contact Address: =

3) Your Country/Nationality: =

4) Your Telephone/Mobile Number(s): =

5) Occupation: =

6) Age/Gender: =

7) Alternative email account if any: =

8) Ever Won An Online Lottery? =

9) What is your comment On Google Products?
Google values your right to privacy! Your information is 100% secured and =
will be used exclusively for the purpose of this award only.
To file for your claim, you are required to contact our Validating departm=
ent 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.
**************************************************************************=
****
Name: Martin Hillman.
Email: google-sweepstakesverification@webname.com
**************************************************************************=
****
Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of Google Anniversary Award Team.
Larry Page,
CEO/CO-FOUNDER, GOOGLE INC.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam