I would like to thank Google for sponsoring this draw, my wife and children for their outstanding support during this overwhelming ordeal of newfound financial wealth and Director of Peoples Operations: Mr. Laszlo Bock for notifying me of my win.
“This is to inform you that you have won yourself an Award of One million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds (GBP1500,000) in the Google 11 Years Anniversary Awards as organized by the Anniversary Centre of Google Inc….”
As I performed my daily ritual of checking my email, I was somewhat surprised to receive an email from Google Management about their 11th anniversary. At least that is what the header stated. After opening it out of curiosity I soon realized it was just another elaborate scam with no value whatsoever, that is until I realized I had been inadvertently been handed a nice plum to blog about.
The intro was well done and would do well to fool the unsuspecting looking for a free windfall including the logo and official looking address, which after some quick research for curiosity sake is as I suspected, fake.
The rest was easy to spot from the bad English to the all encompassing asking for personal information and that fact Mr. Bock was the Director of the Peoples Operations, definitely not an English business term.
” The Anniversary Centre of Google Inc selected your email id as of one it’s 20 chosen fortunate winner to receive this award.” “…Send your complete personal information with your Award Ref. and File no. to us to enable us process your Prize;…”
What was also intriguing is the email addresses provided for contact based on the fact as there was no effort to conceal what was already apparent. They that was even remotely associated with Google other then the use of a Gmail address as the following shows.
Director of Peoples Operations: Mr. Laszlo Bock
E-Mail: mr.laaszloblock@ciudad.com.ar, gluckawards500@gmail.com
The first email address (ciudad.com.ar) is for a web site with the contact address in South Africa and the registration address for the site is Argentina, the second of course while at Gmail could be anywhere.
The telephone and fax numbers Tel: +44 7024 046 990, Fax: +44 704 090 1883 are intriguing as they are the same ones used in multiples of prize scams including numerous ones from Microsoft under multiple names of official contacts. The area or country code +44 is used in Great Britain, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey.
Further research shows that the telephone/fax numbers in question 070240***** are part of a series owned by Magrathea Telecommunications Limited a phone number redirection service from the United Kingdom.
In closing, Mr. Bock took the time to inform me that, “After 11 years of establishment, Google Inc is worth over US$23 Billion with over 20,000 workers worldwide making it the best and most successful online search engine around the globe.”
He also requested that I “Keep your Award information confidential.” Sorry Mr. Bock but how could I even attempt to keep such good fortune a secret. Now show me the money….
The Colour Blind Photographer - Allan Herman 
I have also received such type of mail.regarding 11 annversary winning price… but some month before also I was being cheated by such type of things so I dont believe on that. firstly you said about prise than demand 19 to 20 thausand rupees on name of custom duty. what is this? If you want to give prise than Its your responsibility to give prise at native place of winner. or dont sponser or organise such type of draw in wich winner unable to get his winning prise. If you dont want to provide support than you have no right to hurt somones feeling.
Hy,
I apologize if I made mistakes in English but I speak fluently in French.
I need your help: I usually checked before replay but this time I think I replay to a SCAM ( the same that you mentioned “11 years Anniversary awards..” so question: what can I do now? they have access to my bank account?
they asked for:
ful name, country, contact address, sex, age, occupation, telephone, my gmail account( I have write only my e-mail address )
I believed him because they have not requested information on my bank account so…after sending I realized that there was something wrong!
What can I do now?
I need help!
Thank you a lot!
Yours sincerely,
Lara
Lara, my first reaction if I were you would be to contact my bank A.S.A.P. and advise them of the situation. They will guide you with the appropriate action to take to protect your investments and guide you as to what other actions you should take from that point.
I thought the same thing but I can only tomorrow. I think also go to the police to know their advices. Thank you a lot… I feel completely stupid, it never happened to me…
Good call, yes do tale the details to the police as well as your banking institution. Please keep me posted as to the outcome via email rather then posting the details if you wish and best of luck in your quest for justice. I am on your side…
hello this award is true or fall
If you had taken time to correctly read the article you would see that is was in fact a ruse which I knew, researched and wrote this article exposing said trickery.
Hello mr. Herman,
I received just a similar letter, this is also a Google 11 years anniversary award but this time it’s posted from South Africa. In the first mail they introduce them self’s and the announcement that I have won 1.5 mln pounds, in order i have send back my requested information and after 2 days i received a second mail. In this mail the Bank of South Africa is introduced, the Director Foreign Operations, mr. Gugu Moloi. He send me a mail with a “original” document that the winning price has been approved, to receive the money i have to send 550 pound’s this to be sure that the money is transfer to the wright account.
If interested i can even send you the mails regarding this subject.
No need to send me your correspondence Rolf. I also would NOT send them the requested monetary funds for obvious reasons. I would also cease any further contact and if they continue to persist I would take all the correspondence to your local Police Department and file a complaint. The best way to handle email scams is to delete them, DO NOT open them and DO NOT respond as you are only opening the door to greater fraud options for which the only one who will be hurt will be yourself.