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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: <verificationsector@webname.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2016 05:38:50 -0800
Subject: Official Google Sweepstakes Notification

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 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: GAAP/6168/657, 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 verification, processing and eventual payment of the above prize to you.
 
Verification
 
·      Your Full Names:
·        Your Contact Address:
·        Your Country/Nationality:
·        Your Telephone/Mobile Number(s):
·        Occupation:
·        Age/Gender:
·        Alternative email account if any:
·        Ever Won An Online Lottery?
·        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 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.
 
******************************************************************************
Name: Martin Hillman.
Email: verificationsector@webname.com
******************************************************************************
 
Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of Google Anniversary Award Team.
 
  Larry Page,
 
   CEO/CO-FOUNDER, GOOGLE INC.
 
                                                                   ©Copyright 2016 Google Incorporation all rights reserved.

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