Last October, Dave Dawes and his fiance Angela Dawes (we wonder if she’ll take his name or keep her own; maybe they’ll hyphenate – Dawes-Dawes?, maybe he’ll take hers, no matter), won a lottery in the UK.
As seen in the article below, they have decided to give a portion of their money to, and we quote, “a select group of friends and family members” numbering “15 to 20 people”.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44866640/ns/us_news-giving/ <== the article.
Well, it’s taken two months but the lucky couple have now been immortalized in spam.
Subject: Grant Donation!!!
From: Dave & Angela Dawes
To: Recipients
Date Sent: 12/16/2011 8:23:06 AM
My wife and I won one of Britain’s biggest lottery of £101 Million British Pounds and we have decided to donate to the less privileged and charity projects all over the world, and make at least 20 people millionaires.
To verify,please see our interview by visiting the web page below.
The articles referenced all clearly state that Angela is Dave’s fiancée and that they intend to get married next year (2012). We can only assume that the fact that their last names are so similar is misleading to whoever is pretending to be them.
Your email address was among the emails which was submitted to us by the google inc. as a web user, to be one of our beneficiaries,kindly send us the below details so that we can issue a valid cheque for £1,500,000.00 pounds in your name or direct our bank to effect the transfer of the funds.
The articles are pretty explicit as to the intentions of Dave and Angela and their distribution of wealth. We would think that the term “friends and family” would need to be stretched quite a bit to include random individuals culled from the Internet by Google.
We tried that concept last year and Thanksgiving dinner was a disaster as a result.
====================================================== *Full Name:
*Telephone Number:
*Age:
*Country:
======================================================
How often do you ask your friends and family to confirm their identity?
“Would you like some more potatoes, Aunt Betty?”
“Why, yes, thank you, Ellis.”
“Wonderful, if we could just see a current photo ID and perhaps a bank statement then….”
Send your response to Dave-Angela-Dawes@gmx.com
Best Regards,
Dave & Angela Dawes
Curiously, we received the same email from DaveAngelaDawes@gmx.com with the subject “Grean Donation!!!”
So we sent “Grean Donation!!!” to Dave-Angela-Dawes@gmx.com and sent “Grant Donation!!! to DaveAngelaDawes@gmx.com just to see what might happen.
We received the following,
twice.
Subject: Dear Beneficiary
From: Dave & Angela Dawes
To: Recipients Date
Sent: 12/17/2011 4:36:46 AM
This seems to have come as an automated response. A normal email reply would have sorted our email address out.
My wife and I are very happy to hear from you because we believe this is a life time opportunity for you and your family, which was why we had to make sure our interview is put on the internet for the world to see and we have also attached our real pictures to this mail to definitely prove to you that you are in the right hands.
Our correspondent is still confused by the last names and has again assumed that they were married despite the articles clearly stating otherwise.
We plan to take care of the needs of our immediate family members and make some of our friends millionaires because we believe in making others comfortable and happy like us.
This seems to correspond to their intent as stated in the news reports.
My wife and I will assist the local fire department, the Red Cross, Haiti, some hospitals majorly involved in cancer treatment, and some other charity organizations in Africa, Asia and Europe that fight cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.
Again with “the wife”. One might assume that if they were planning to be such great humanitarians, they might have told the press in order to get a little public pat on the back.
However, since we won the Euro Millions Lottery, my wife and I have been investing ahead of the future, as we just bought some houses in London, Portugal and also in Ukraine but because we are on vacation in Ukraine and we have transferred your donated funds(£1,500,000.00 GBP)from Citibank London to Citibank Ukraine. PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS!
We are sure the Citibank in the Ukraine is much more secure than the Citibank in London so this makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?
One amazing incident happened this morning because I got an email from one of the beneficiaries who lives in Cyprus, Mr kostas, thanking my wife and I for the cash donation to him and his family.
“Dear Dave and Angela,
Thank you for the money. It will buy many goats.
Your friend,
Mr. Kostas”
This kind of emails we receive from our beneficiaries gives my wife and I much joy and we are really happy for you, being one of our beneficiaries.
Isn’t that nice?
Mr Kostas told us that he received his own funds, though he was a little scared and afraid as a result of different scams going on in the internet today, but he made up his mind, he trusted us and he followed the bank’s instructions, which facilitated to the safe transfer of the funds which we donated to him and his family.
No, he didn’t. He said nothing of the sort.
I have submitted your Name, Email Address and your Mobile Number to our pay-out bank(JSCB Citibank Ukraine)and the bank’s funds transfer department will send you an email to facilitate the disbursement process of the funds £1,500,000.00 GBP which was donated to you.
Wouldn’t it had made more sense to either leave the money in London or transfer it to a US bank?
When we go on vacation we do not transfer all our financial doings to the local savings bank in where ever we are staying for a week. It’s not like you can actually see the money. It’s all just numbers in a file.
Can you picture the chaos that would exist if you kept your money with you? Transfer it to a bank near work every morning, back home at night, to the club on weekends, Grandmother’s house on holidays and so on. The banks would never get any serious gouging done.
Additionally, if we had 156 million pounds to play with the Ukraine would not be our first choice of a vacation spot.
My wife and I humbly urge you to cooperate with our payout bank, JSCB Citibank Ukraine in other to enhance a smooth and successful transfer of the funds which we donated to you because you are our only beneficiary who has not yet received his donation money.
That’s probably because you transferred the money to the Ukraine, you daffy twit.
We are very happy and proud to help you and your family and we also suggest that you may also get in touch with the bank on (Citi.bank.ua@post.com) for the disbursement of your funds.
We tried communicating with Citi.bank.ua@post.com. All our emails came back as undeliverable. Doyle Lonnegan would eat these people alive.
We just sent you some of our recent photos … feel free to watch them.
One watches a film, one views or looks at photographs.
We love you and your family.
You wouldn’t if you knew them, and we are possessed of a great self-loathing as well.
Kind Regards,
Dave Dawes.
Email: dave.angela-dawes@gmx.com
They were kind enough to enclose some candid snapshots. Hurray!!!
Of course, not wishing to leave well enough alone, we sent the preceding back to the post.com email address, but it came back rejected.
Disheartened, we assumed, incorrectly, that our new misadventure had come to an end when suddenly we received this:
Subject: Personal…
From: Dave Dawes
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Date Sent: 12/15/2011 12:59:55 PM
This is a personal email directed to you. I am Dave Dawes, my fiancee and
I won a Jackpot Lottery of £101 million pounds ($156 million) in
October, and have voluntarily decided to donate the sum of £1 million
pounds ($1.56 million) to you as part of our own charity project to
improve the lot of 5 unknown lucky individuals all over the world plus 15
close friends and family. If you have received this email then you are
one of the lucky recipients and all you have to do is get back with us so
that we can send your details to the payout bank.
You can verify this by visiting the web pages below.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44866640/ns/us_news-giving/?
Best of luck,
Dave Dawes.
Email: davedawes@w.cn
Tel: +44-702-408-6681
It seems that this Dave Dawes has at least read the articles and understands the working relationship between Dave and Angela. He’s even corrected the number of friends and family members to account for the five random individuals. Sadly, he still has a credibility factor of zero.
Chinese email and British phone, odd combination isn’t it?
We wasted no time in sending the previous email, replete with pictures to Dave at his new Chinese email address. It seems that he is branching out on his own. Or at least has abandoned his wife in favor of his fiance.
Given that this Dave seems to have some command of English, we hold no great hope for receiving a reply.
If we do, we shall continue the misadventure.
In the meantime, if you do not actually know Dave and Angela Dawes, and have not actually spoken to them regarding your share of the money, please assume that you are not getting any of it.
Delete the emails and press on.
This is a Fraud.
That is all.
How to spot a Fraud 
Yes, I got this one. I found it in my spam trap. I usually just delete these things but I was intrigued by it. Maybe it is the fact that we have NO money (just like everyone else at the moment) so I was slightly heady with burgeoning “fake hope”. You know; fake hope : “the thing with NO feathers”.
So I went to google and found your commentary, here. This is worth almost 150 thousand pounds because I think what you have written is hilarious. You did a great deal of research, too. I commend you for that. This is just an all around great and fun post. If I ever win a big ton of pounds , I shall donate some to you and your lovely family, you can bet. I shall stash it in a bank in the Ukraine. And then we’ll all share in it. It will be swell!
Thanks for the laughs!
jean
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I often wonder if anyone is reading these posts. Glad you liked it.
Ellis Tyd
you’re welcome!
jean
…i also got a similar email from the “supposed couple” and i just had to google it..you know..curiosity as usual. i must also commend you for your thorough research and elaborate explanations that clearly brings them out as who they really are..Fraudsters!!
Thumbs up…and thats the power of blogging! I Love your work.
Dang, this just ruined my day! I had awesome visions and earmarked much of the money for medical research, specifically Brest Cancer. Unfortunately apparently there is no cure for these two boobs! LOL
I got email saying the same a few weeks ago I challeged it i refused to give my personal details and bank details I have just got an email today saying my check is in citibank waiting to be sent all i need to do is send £350.00 postage (yeah right) I have asked them to send it to me via recorded delivery or thay can take the money out of the check first. I wont hold my breath watch this space
Hi! I just got a similar email, but from Merle Butler. The scam is almost the same, just switch the names! If you’d like me for forward you the email, just let me know. I’m at julie.reier@yahoo.com.
We got one from Merle too.
“My wife and I won the Mega Millions Lottery and we have decided to donate $1.5million USD to 2 individuals worldwide.Kindly send us your Names and Country so that we can issue you a valid bank cheque. Sincerely, Mr Merle Butler.”
It doesn’t look like they put a lot of effort into it.
We sent a reply saying that no one in Illinois would use the word ‘cheque’. So far, no response.
If you got something more elaborate, please send it along ellistyd@owtospotafraud.com
Thanks
Hi there so pleased im not alone in recieving these emails…….. like Karen Hamilton-Hulse i have been asked to send 450;00 by transfer to clear the funds in my account!!!!! Luckily i spoke to my bank for advice first so all they have details for is a ‘one off’ payment account to safe guard myself….. other than a few spelling mistakes the mails seemed genuine although speedy responses made me wonder…….. i too have informed the citibank i have no money so if you wish to clear the funds i can then pay you!!!
This seems to be a big industry in Africa.
Best plan of action is usually if you don’t remember losing $10,000,000 in Africa, don’t pay anyone to get it back for you.
I received the same letter from the Dawes yesterday and today received a letter from Brown Jeffrey, Chief Accounting Officer (Local/Foreign) from CitiBank. He said to send the necessary information, which includes my bank’s account numbers and routing numbers, etc. And if I did not wish to submit this information, they could send my cheque directly to my address by courier but, of course, I would have to pay a courier fee. I wonder how many people received these letters from the Dawes.
Half the planet probably. It seems to be making the rounds again.
I always say “take the transfer fee out of the monies I have coming and I will double the transfer fee for your hard work”. That stops the emails.
What happens if you send the details they asked for in the email??
The normal routine would be that they would then ask you to wire money to them to cover shipping costs or a certificate or some other fee. They will have you use Western Union or Moneygram since the transfer of cash is instantaneous and irreversible. If they think you’ll keep paying, they’ll keep inventing reasons for you to send more money until you stop. If you send them banking information they might be able to withdraw money from your account directly.
Unless you want to play at irritating them, like this, the best thing to do is delete the email. They do not have any money for you.
is it possible for just anyone to withdraw cash from my account directly just because they have that account number??
I think it depend on the bank as to whether or not the transaction would be allowed, but it certainly opens the door. If you’ve given your account inforation to someone you suspect might be scamming you, talk to someone at your bank about how to protect your account.
I got almost the exact same email except mine was sent by “Colin and Chris Weir & Family”. Being suspicious of all these rediculous scams, I traced the location of the email origin. Here’s what I wrote back to them:
“Why is it that you give the above information as your email contact address but the original email that came to me was from freya.rojo@csun.edu? (That’s California State University at Northridge) Can you prove that this is NOT a phishing scheme to get my info?”
I received another email from them restating the previous message but not answering my question.Then I receive an email purporting to be from Citibank of Ukraine with more nonsense and after Googling the bank, came to this website. Thanks Ellis for being a vigilant watchdog.
I too have recieved the same email making out that Euro Lottery Winners, Gillian and Adrian Bayford are handing out money to strangers around the world. Why would they want to give money to me instead of charities and research facilities, I could already be rolling in money, I’m sure some people actually do need the money, and then get ripped off by these bastards. They have dropped the names (Google, Citibank and a London Law Firm – Kingsley Napley) of big players. I hope some poor bastard doesn’t fall for this scam.
ANOTHER VARIATION OF THIS ATTACHED FROM “Gillian and Adrian Bayford”:
Attention
My wife and I won the biggest Euro Millions lottery prize of £148.6 Million Pounds August 2012 and we just commenced our Charity Donation and we will be giving out a cash donation of £1,500,000.00 GBP to five(5)lucky individuals and ten(10)charity organisations from any part of the world.
To verify the genuineness of this email and our winnings, please see our interview by visiting the web page below;
http://news.sky.com/story/972395/148-6m-euromillions-jackpot-winners-named
Your email address was submitted to my wife and I by the Google Management Team and you received this email because we have listed you as one of the lucky millionaires, Kindly send us the below details so that we can direct our Bank can effect a valid Bank Draft in your name to your operational bank account in your country.
============
Full Name:
Country:
Age:
Occupation:
Sex:
Mobile/Tel:
============
Congratulations & Happy Celebrations in Advance,
Gillian and Adrian Bayford
Email: gillianandadrianbayford3@rogers.com
What they lack in originality they seem to make up for with persistance.
Seems that Dave & Angela and Gillian & Adrian donated to the same Mr. Kostas who lives in Cypress.
My wife and I are very happy to hear from you because we believe this is a life time opportunity for you and your family, which was why we had to make sure our interview is put on the internet for the world to see to definitely prove to you that you are in the right hands.
We plan to take care of the needs of our immediate family members and make some of our friends millionaires because we believe in making others comfortable and happy like us.
My wife and I have assist the local fire department, the Red Cross, Haiti, some hospitals majorly involved in cancer treatment, and some other charity organizations in Africa, Asia and Europe that fight cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.
We also Help Those That Surffered From The Hurricaine sandy and also helped provide relief materials in form of food iteams and gifts for the poor children of greece to help them survive during this wonderful celbration time of the year .
However, since we won the Euro Millions Lottery, my wife and I have been investing ahead of the future for we and our two lovely kids, as we just bought some houses in London, and also in Ukraine but we are on vacation in Ukraine because my wife mother is from there, so we are spending the Few days there before ours second Honey Moon which will be next month in Bahamas, please take note that your funds will be transfer from JSCB Citibank Ukraine as we reside in there for now, we transfer some of our funds over to JSCB Citibank Ukraine. One amazing incident happened this morning because I got an email from one of the beneficiaries who lives in Cyprus, Mr kostas, thanking my wife and I for the cash donation to him and his family that he receive it today.
This kind of emails we receive from our beneficiaries gives my wife and I much joy and we are really happy for you, being one of our beneficiaries.
Mr Kostas told us that he received his own funds, though he was a little scared and afraid as a result of different scams going on in the internet today, but he made up his mind, he trusted us and he followed the bank’s instructions, which facilitated to the safe transfer of the funds which we donated to him and his family.
I have submitted your Name, Email Address and your Mobile Number to our pay-out bank(Citibank Ukraine)and the bank’s funds transfer department will send you an email to facilitate the disbursement process of the funds £1,500,000.00 GBP which was donated to you.
My wife and I humbly urge you to cooperate with our payout bank, Citibank Ukraine in other to enhance a smooth and successful transfer of the funds which we donated to you because you are our only beneficiary who has not yet received his donation money.
We are very happy and proud to help you and your family and we also suggest that you may also get in touch with the bank on (citi.bnk.ukraine@ukr.net or on +380634785686) for the disbursement of your fund
Take your time and read the link below to know more about me.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/new-£148-6m-euromillions-winners-adrian-and-gillian-bayford-celebrated-by-eating-pizza.html
We love you and your family.
Kind Regards,
Mr. Adrian Bayford.
Email: adrianbayford11@rogers.com
Another flavor of the same thing.
Welcome Reality
This kind of thing has been coming to my in box since 2006 and my very first computer and a certain yahoo address. I my dealings I personally lost more than one could imagine. I am still alive and kicking. I got a similar email and it seems like the same people all are talking about.
My wife and I are very happy to hear from you because we believe this is a life time opportunity for you and your family, which was why we had to make sure our interview is put on the internet for the world to see to definitely prove to you that you are in the right hands.
We plan to take care of the needs of our immediate family members and make some of our friends millionaires because we believe in making others comfortable and happy like us.
My wife and I have assist the local fire department, the Red Cross, Haiti, some hospitals majorly involved in cancer treatment, and some other charity organizations in Africa, Asia and Europe that fight cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.
We also Help Those That Surffered From The Hurricaine sandy and also helped provide relief materials in form of food iteams and gifts for the poor children of greece to help them survive during this wonderful celbration time of the year .
However, since we won the Euro Millions Lottery, my wife and I have been investing ahead of the future for we and our two lovely kids, as we just bought some houses in London, and also in Ukraine but we are on vacation in Ukraine because my wife mother is from there, so we are spending the Few days there before ours second Honey Moon which will be next month in Bahamas, please take note that your funds will be transfer from JSCB Citibank Ukraine as we reside in there for now, we transfer some of our funds over to JSCB Citibank Ukraine. One amazing incident happened this morning because I got an email from one of the beneficiaries who lives in Cyprus, Mr kostas, thanking my wife and I for the cash donation to him and his family that he receive it today.
This kind of emails we receive from our beneficiaries gives my wife and I much joy and we are really happy for you, being one of our beneficiaries.
Mr Kostas told us that he received his own funds, though he was a little scared and afraid as a result of different scams going on in the internet today, but he made up his mind, he trusted us and he followed the bank’s instructions, which facilitated to the safe transfer of the funds which we donated to him and his family.
I have submitted your Name, Email Address and your Mobile Number to our pay-out bank(Citibank Ukraine)and the bank’s funds transfer department will send you an email to facilitate the disbursement process of the funds £1,500,000.00 GBP which was donated to you.
My wife and I humbly urge you to cooperate with our payout bank, Citibank Ukraine in other to enhance a smooth and successful transfer of the funds which we donated to you because you are our only beneficiary who has not yet received his donation money.
We are very happy and proud to help you and your family and we also suggest that you may also get in touch with the bank on (citi.bnk.ukraine@ukr.net or on +380634785686) for the disbursement of your fund
Take your time and read the link below to know more about me.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/new-£148-6m-euromillions-winners-adrian-and-gillian-bayford-celebrated-by-eating-pizza.html
We love you and your family.
Kind Regards,
Mr. Adrian Bayford.
Email: adrianbayford11@rogers.com
well i hate to admit i was just about taken in by mr&mrs bayford as im pretty sure that there are genuinely nice people out there who would perhaps give some of the rediculous ammounts of money won by the euro millions away but not by this method,but i did wonder why they never asked about me first before they allocated this fortune,i just googled the name jeffery brown it lead me straight here ,well done but you really have dissapointed me ha ha ian ps forgive my spelling
Hi to all people who take a momment to averiguate about this team. I leave in Mexico and i am from Mexico too. I also receive this mail but in the two versions with the Guillen and adrian´s and the other one, So i am so sad to understand that the tecnology also is comming with the delinquency. I can tell you that every day i receive a lot of mails like this. My first mail went on 2005 from one contact who planned to retire and had obtained a lost money customer account died he left his account without recipient. A lot of versions like this asking me for a foreigner account to transfer money. Anyway be carefull with all the span comming on your computer. Yours Jerry
Those Bayfords are one sweet couple!! They reached out to me – all the way in Ohio in the United states – through yahoo to let me know:
“You have received 1.5m pounds as donation see link http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19254228 send name address and phone”
from:
Adrian Gillian Bayford (Add contact)
date: Fri, Mar 14 2014 at 1:34 AM
to: Undisclosed recipients:
reply-to: adrian_bayford11@yahoo.com
… I could have paid off my school loan. Alas…
I had also received an email from Chris and Colin Weir. I was the only beneficiary who had not yet received their donation and if I didn’t respond soon, they would choose someone else. I knew it was a scam right away. None of it made any sense. I searched for a site like this to see if anyone else got an email like this. Nice job with the research, explanations and lessons for others to learn from. It’s a shame. It really would have been great if it was real. One thing I find to be extremely funny is, they have computers to send the emails all over the world and yet they don’t know how to use spell check. Also, “APPARENTLY, MOST OF THEM DON’T KNOW HOW TO READ”! If they could, they would have been able to see that on their computers is this website and thousands more like it with their stupid little scam being talked about by every person they have sent an email to. Instead of realizing that this isn’t working like it’s supposed to anymore, they keep trying to change it a little bit at a time. As if everyone who gets the email isn’t going to Google the info that’s on it. Everyone who has posted a comment on here has, to me, been surprisingly very calm and mellow about this. I am outraged. I hate it that some people feel that it’s okay to prey upon the weak and those down on their luck. In my opinion, they are not people. They are despicable, filthy pieces of Rhino shit.
Thank you for your time,
Adam Michael Cochran
From, Hanover Park Illinois
P.S. I did not read every reply posted on this page so if someone has already mentioned this stuff, sorry for repeating and I hope all those scamming bastards catch herpes in their eyes that have a chronic break out.
We feel that you have ranked them too high on the food chain “They are despicable, filthy pieces of Rhino shit”. Far too generous an appraisal.
Just got an email from Mr Merle Butler about a week ago and I did give them my number. I have had many other frauds try to get me in the past so I always do my research before I go as far as giving out sensitive information. I also got a call today from some guy at Invester Bank. You would think they would have put someone on the phone that spoke English better or just have a more clear connection. I would have loved to receive one million dollars but we all know that it is a scam. The chances of being pick from the billions in the world in super rare. If you get any email stating that you have one a lot of money I would look into it before going any further. Thanks for this post so that I was able to be sure this was a scam.