(Original post: 9-Mar-2007, Updated: 13-Mar-2007)
Until today, I’m still asked by random people how this prize can be claimed. This is a hoax, people! A scam! If you don’t understand English, I advise you to look in the dictionary for the word “hoax” or “scam”, or ask your friends who do understand English. You will NOT get any money from this, not a cent. They will be the ones cheating the money out of you.
Aren’t you curious at all on how scammers of such e-mails operate? I am. Hence, for the first time in my life, I decided to actually reply to this e-mail (see sample below) out of curiosity, to experience first hand how these idiots work. I’ve read stories of some poor people being duped because they were greedy enough to fall for these offers. So let’s just call my attempt an experiment, and I plan on bumping this post up as soon as I have anything to update.
DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDS DEPARTMENT AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY COPORATION.
Ref: 575061725
Batch: 8056490902/188
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AWARD NOTIFICATION: FINAL NOTICE
Attn: Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the lottery result winners of Australian International Lottery Programmes held on the 15th of Febuary 2007 from the Australian International Lottery programme. Which is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses.Your name was attached to ticket number; 675061725 9356460902 Serial Number 67749137002. This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows 2-9-23-35-46 bonus number 14, which consequently won the lottery in the second category. You are here by have been approved a lump sum pay of US$400,000.00 ( FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) in cash credit file ref: ILP/HW 46704/03 from the total cash prize shared amongst Eight lucky winners in this category.
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to your nominated bank. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this programme by some participants. All participants where selected through a computer/mail balloting system drawn from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually. This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomorate of some multinational companies and also the Australian Government as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the commmunities where they have operational base. Further more your details (e-mail address) falls within our European representative office in Amsterdam, Holland, as indicated in your play coupon and your prize of US$400,000.00 will be released to you from our regional branch office in NIGERIA. We hope with part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes for US$2.3 Million international draw.
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE: Simply contact our claims Mr. Rudolph John at;
agentrudolph.john@yahoo.com.au
To file for your claim . Please quote your Date of draw,Reference Number, Batch Number and Winning Number, which can be found on the top-left corner of this message. Also, you should give in your telephone number to help locate your file easily. For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize has been released to you and also to the public. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this programme by non-participant or unofficial personnel.
Note: All winnings MUST be claimed before the 18th of March. 2007; otherwise all funds will be forfited. Congratulations once again on your winning!
BEST REGARDS
JOSEPH HARRISON (MR)
(LOTTERY COORDINATOR)
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT AT : agentrudolph.john@yahoo.com.au
ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF WINNERS WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION
===============================
My reply 09/Mar:
Subject: Re: AWARD NOTIFICATION: FINAL NOTICE(you are the winner)
To: agentrudolph.john@yahoo.com.au
Please let me know how I can claim my prize, thanks.
Date of draw 15th of Febuary 2007
Reference Number 675061725 9356460902
Batch Number 67749137002
Winning Number 2-9-23-35-46 bonus number 14
Cash credit file ref: ILP/HW 46704/03
===============================
I received this back:
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 22:34:59 +1100 (EST)
From: “AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY CLAIMS AGENT” <agentrudolph.john@yahoo.com.au>
Subject: WINNERS APPLICATION FORM FOR PAYMENT.(FILL AND RETURN INSTANTLY)CONGRATULATIONSI am glad to inform you that our databaseadministrator has crosschecked your details in our database and has confirmed you as the Beneficiary of $400,000.00 (Four hundred Thousand Dollars) from our concluded International draws.I will also like to inform you that you are in our second category winner status with file reference. I also wish to inform you that I have been appointed as your Fudicial Agent that will assist you claim your Price. A copy of the Winners Payment Application Form is attached below with this mail for you. Follow the steps to carry on with your claim:
1) Print out two ENLARGED copy of the application
form.
2) Carefully read through it and Fill out Sections
A&B
3) Keep a copy with you; it will be required by your
bank when we transfer your money to you.
Scan the other copy of the completed form and send
it back to us in (48 hours) as an attached file,
through this same email address immediately. This
form is to enable us have comprehensive information
about you and also, how the prize you have won will
get to you.
As soon as we receive this form back from you, we
will inform our Head Office for your
winner’s certificate. This will be sent to you
as a bonafide Winner of Australian lottery award Inc
and will also mandate the paying bank to have your
won prize transferred to your designated bank account
after its notarization.
Incase of any difficulties with the procedure, feel
very free to contact me again. In anticipation of
your urgent response to this!
Best Regards,
Rudolph John
Regional Claims
Bureau Officer
+234-803-670-1853
NOTE: THE BEST WAY TO TRANSFER YOUR PRIZES WILL BE
NOTIFIED TO YOU BY THE BANK.
DONT DELAY THE SUBMITTION OF THIS FORM.
(The form looks like this)
===============================
Filled, signed using a fake signature and sent to Agent Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer the morning of 12-Mar (“Thank you. Here is my form already filled.”). Received the following just this evening:
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:01:25 +1100 (EST)
From: “AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY CLAIMS AGENT”
Subject: FURTHER INFORMATION
To: agentrudolph.john@yahoo.com.au
Dear Lucky Winner,
We acknowledged the receipt of your dully filled winners application form for payment. Your file has been forwarded to our head office for acquisition of your winner’s certificate. This (winners certificate ) will prove and present you as legitimate and bonafide winner of Australian lottery award.
On its acquisition, your claim files will be forwarded to the paying bank for processing and transfer of your winning through the means you specified in your winners application form. The bank will be contacting you any moment from now. Keep me posted and always contact me for further enquiries
Regards
Agent
Rudolph John
+234-803-6701853
Australian Lottery Claims agent.
===============================
(13/Mar/07) An email from “REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT EQUITY BANK PLC” arrived the next day. The email snapshots follow:
And text below:
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2007 07:12:57 -0700 (PDT)
From: “REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT EQUITY BANK PLC.”
Subject: RE:FILE:EQT/IHT/TIMBAH /600N111AH/LORNA/TRANSFER OF AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY WON PRIZE OF $400,000,00: (PAYMENT YET TO BE APPROVED) TRANSFER MODE: (TT)TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER. CONGRATULATIONS.
18b Administrative Headquarters RC 14457
Victoria Island Lagos Nigeria
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR FOREIGN FUNDS
REMITTANCE & CASH TRANSFER DEPARTMENT
EQUITY BANK OF NIGERIA LIMITED
EMAIL: remittancedept_equitybankplc@yahoo.com DATE-13-03-2007
Fax:+234-83234375.
RE:FILE:EQT/IHT/TIMBAH /600N111AH/LORNA/TRANSFER OF AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY WON PRIZE OF $400,000,00: (PAYMENT YET TO BE APPROVED) TRANSFER MODE: (TT)TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER. CONGRATULATIONS.
ATTENTION MR. TIMBAH LORNA:
Be informed that this bank have received from your regional Claims Office your Application Form for Payment and your winning file as well. Therefore we have commenced the processing for transfer and payment of $400,000USD, which is your entitled sum to your provided account coordinates or through the medium you specified in your claim documents.
The transfer will be based on the information provided in your Application form and everything must go in accordance with the ethics and policies of our banking regulation.
BANK TRANSFER STATEMENT
***INPUT MESSAGE TYPE: Customer Transfer
***ORDERING CUSTOMER: Australian Lottery Inc.
***TRANSACTION REFERENCE NO: 105B0439401
***AMOUNT WON: $400,000.00
***CURRENCY CODE: US Dollars ($)
In your application form we received the below banking coordinates to have your won prize transferred into and we are presenting it to you for your reconfirmation, We advise you make corrections or modification if necessary because we shall process your winning prize to the account information you provided in the application form. We are hence not liable for errors made by you typographically or otherwise that may delay the reflection of the fund in your account.
BENEFICIARY INFORMATION
****NAME:………………………………TIMBAH LORNA
****ADDRESS: …………………………**************
****BANK NAME:………………………****************
****BANK ADDRESS:………………….**************
****ACCOUNT NUMBER:……………..******************
****PHONE NUMBER…………………….***************
Moreover, we do request for a copy of your identification (drivers license,international passport, working identification or national identity card) sent to us . This is to ascertain your personality and the legitimacy of your claim. To avoid transfer of your won prize to another and double claiming of funds.
You are required to get back to us on the receipt of this email with the reuired documents so that we can proceed with the processing for your transfer.
On behalf of the Management of this Bank, I congratulate you on your winning and advice you make judicious use of your money.
ACCEPT OUR CONGRATULATIONS.
YOURS IN SERVICE
MR.LAUREN WILLIAMS
REMITTANCE DEPT
Equity Bank Plc.
Online Banking
© 2007 Equity Bank Of Nigeria. All Rights Reserved
Check out my other posts: « HitTail is very nice: results for WebGrrrl.net so far / Long time no hear »
would certainly be interesting to see what, if anything, you get back. I have always wondered how these people operate and why. There must obviously be some cash to be made as they keep doing it, but it is hard to believe that people still, after all the press ect, fall for these ploys.
As soon as anything interesting happens, I’ll keep you posted.
I’ve replied to this and the Nigerian scammers many times before, to see their next step. There’s a 419 website somewhere that chronicles how the scammed turned the tables around and got the scammer to PAY them money – that’s the ultimate aim.
Any replies? I read and enjoyed the http://419eater.com scamming-the-scammer stories. I have a feeling that this lotto thing is a different horse altogether, however.
Great post – interesting how contact from an “Australian Lottery claims agent” quickly becomes a contact from Nigeria. I particularly like the part in the latest correspondence that states “This is to ascertain your personality…” Did you reply “friendly, funny, lively, animated etc”
LOL! :))
Personality: Not an idiot.
Wah.. very interesting. You fill up and complete the ‘Beneficiary Information’ and what might happen next is your money in your bank is gone . What a scammer. My replies to some of similar emails I received were : “Thank you, but I am already a MILLIONAIRE!” I never got any reply.
It won’t be gone. One of the wonders of Photoshop is that we can change the details in the documents very easily. My bank account num is from a bank that I’ve closed a while ago. My signature is not the usual sig I used. My driver’s license info was edited. So let’s see if they still take the bait.
Lorna is livin’ on the edge!
You’re more brave than I…but I’m very interested to see what happens here.
OMG… i’ve got lots of email like this..and it automatically gone to my spam box. I usually ignore it… but sometimes im curious. Most of them are like this but i just delete them. thanks for this info. Now i know and glad they stayed in the spambox. Keep us updated Lorna. Im curious now. you’ve just been added live bookmark now. so dont forget us. hehe.
I’ve replied on occasion to things like the nigerian scams but find that once they need to do some work to get money they back away. They look for the easy marks, hoping to get rich without doing any work. Even the scammers are lazy pieces of crap.
Nigerians .. no matter what you won, or which jackpot you’ve hit, most traced back to these people.
I’m no racist, but it makes it hard for me to trust a Nigerian in the future.
Hilarious read. Back in the early 90’s, I’m sure I was one of the first people to be contacted by a Nigerian scammer. I kept thinking how the heck they even knew who I was, who this King whatever was, etc…
I never responded, of course. I alway live by the idea that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. I did, however, lose $1,000 in a real sweepstakes once… that kinda sucked.
hi
i won in yahoo lottery & i received E_mail from EQUITY BANK PLC.
Is there The Equity Bank PLC at Nigeria? Is there an DIRECTOR EQUITY BANK name’s DR MACON FEDRICK at there? It is urgent
this is their E-mail address:
claimsdepartment_equitybankngplc@yahoo.co.uk
i was notified i won the sum of one thousand dollars;pls i want 2 know how i will get the money if possible.
hi,it looks so inetresting, but i dont have enough information about this,would u please tel me that which banks from iran would be accepted? and,how could enybody trust to this site and give his bank name and number? please help me .thanx
FUND REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS.
Address: 1692 Buraimoh Kenku Street, Victoria Island,Nigeria.
Tel: +234 (80) 6859-4275, Fax:00234 (80) 3390-3697
RCZ: 05357436
Since I don’t have a scanner to make a copy of my ID’s I still couldn’t have won. Bad luck I guess.
what is this all about even barclays in london i received this kind of lottery its true they want me to pay US $ 575. for processing and claiming my price please reply on me.
i’am a winner in equitybankplc how can i get? i received a letter that i won in australian lottery an amount of US$950,000. and mr. clarke modet telling me to send US$575. for processing my documents and to send via western union. herewith i attached the transaction of our letter.
From the desk of the Australian lottery
Regional claims agent.
Dear winner
I am in receipt of your request and i wish i could help you out because of the offer but iam unabale to grant your request because iam only a contract staff here in the organization and we are not allowed to operate our foriegn account, therefore we only live on our weekly allowance here.
I wil advice you to put in you best to pay the said fee for the procurement of you claims documents as the mandate is almost at hand.
I hope that when you get your prize you shall not hesistate to give me a gift. my regards to your family.
Claims Agent
Harald Hatch
Please reply!!!
Thanks
Sincerely Yours,
Edgar Delacruz
I’m the winner and I wanna get my money ! Please , I think this organization will help on way geting money !
I think after week I can see this money in my account bill.
Please reply me !!!
Thank
Respectfully
Bekliev Zafar
I THINK ALL SCAMERS ARE EQUAL
i received one winning information about Australian Lotto.
I responded this information mail with a replay, then they sent me one application form same mentioned as above.
they needs my passport copy also.
be lucky found your discription on web.
thank u sir,thank you very much.
the financial crisis made me to follow the Australian lotto mail
anyway thanks for your kind information and i am expecting one
email advice from u.
with regards
rakesh
worning to the all pepel in the world
Thank you for contacting Shell Nigeria, This is one of several recent scam messages, which have also contained notification of lottery winnings from Shell, offers of employment with Shell abroad, offers to sell phantom vehicles or other items. Please be aware that Shell is in no way related to these emails and text messages. Due to several E-mail/Internet scams being carried out by individuals making false employment and other fraudulent offers to individuals, purportedly on behalf of Shell Nigeria, we would like to advise the public of the following: 1. Do not respond to unsolicited business propositions and/or offers from people you are unfamiliar with.
2. Do not disclose your personal/financial details to anyone you do not know.
3. We would like to refer you to our website scam alert – http://www.shellnigeria.com/scamalert for guidance.
4. Also, the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) advises that scam mails received from Nigeria be sent to the following address – scam@efccnigeria.org We thank you for the interest in our company.
Regards,
Shell Nigeria
Hellow Dear Shell
Actully i recived a mail in which decribe that i have won the prize money of amount $500,000.00usa.they also gave me a form to fill it in which they also asked about my bank account .i gave hime whole info which they require Now. they says that me should pay $850 for mony transaction in my account.
the Bank name where they send my prize money cheque is “EQUITY BANK FUND REMITTANCE OF UK LONDON LTD”.actully my only nephew suffered in Blood cancer but unfortunately i have not enough money for his treatment .i was really upset in these days .But when i receive this mail you cant feel how much happy i was . i was thinking that May God want to help me through this lottery .but by chance i read your comments .kindly guide me what me should do i have need of this money .Regards
Sehrish Naz
this website is geting shut down
I checked your e-mail… are you the agentrudolph.john@yahoo.com.au in disguise? Shame on you… using an Australian Yahoo! account even when you’re originating from around York, UK.
I chek this email by : info.customerrcare@yahoo.com ( 02/09/2010)
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR EXCHANGE
CONTROL AND INTERNATIONAL.
REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.
90 NORTH SATHORN ROAD, SILOM, BANGRAK, BANGKOK
CUSTOMER SERVICE TELEPHONE LINE +66860163357
WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE THAILAND FOR THE INITIAL STAMP DUTY FEE PAYMENT OF $130 FOR THE STAMPING OF YOUR TRANSFER APPROVAL DOCUMENTS. ATTACHED TO THIS EMAIL IS A COPY OF THE DOCUMENT WE RECEIVED FROM THE TRANSFER APPROVAL DEPARTMENT. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE A PAYMENT OF STAMP DUTY FEE OF $130 THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE ACCOUNTANT INFORMATION STATED BELOW.
1 AMOUNT: $130 DOLLARS ONLY
2 RECEIVER’S NAME : MICHEAL ONYEKACHUKWU
3 DESTINATION: BANGKOK ,THAILAND
PLEASE EMAIL US THE PAYMENT DETAILS(SENDER’S NAME,MTCN,DESTINATION) OR A SLIP FROM THE WESTERN UNION ATTACHED TO ENABLE US FACILITATE WITH YOUR TRANSFER IMMEDIATELY. THE LOTTERY PRIZE FUNDS ARE INSURED AND CANNOT BE DEDUCTED FOR YOUR STAMP DUTY FEE. WE DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DEDUCT THIS FEE FROM YOUR WON PRIZE MONEY.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF YOUR WON PRIZE FUND WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO YOU IN FULL PAYMENT AS DEPOSITED WITH OUR BANK MANAGEMENT AND STATED IN THE INSURANCE PAPERS COVERING YOUR FUND DEPOSIT WITH OUR BANK. THE FEE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PAY IS FOR THE STAMPING OF YOUR APPROVAL DOCUMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE THAILAND,BEFORE WE CAN GET APPROVAL TO MAKE THE TRANSFER TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.
WE EXPEDITE YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
SINCERELY
MR KELVIN MYOUNG
DIRECTOR EXCHANGE CONTROL
AND INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
DEPARTMENT STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
BANGKOK- THAILAND
Please replay
please replay