Well, that was the subject of an email I have received that promotes fake app rankings.

Carefully crafted to look like an official Google Play Store, this email asks $49 for 40+ 5 star rating.

Here is the full email

Good New!

Hello, I was just going through Google Play store and I found your app near the last page of its category. I think it's Amazing that you have managed to create an app! Well done on taking action! This is a huge market that is growing by the day as more and more people get smart phones. You have overcome the first challenge which is to create and app, but the second challenge can be very tricky to overcome! It's not your fault, getting an app posted and reviewed by high traffic App websites is something that is very time-consuming and sometimes doesn't pay off! But, one thing that does get you more downloads is good ratings and positive reivews! You will notice that all of the big apps and apps on the front page (of any category) have lots of positive reviews and 5 star ratings! That is the only way you can rank and get noticed, not only in Google's Play store, but also in the Search Engines for your Keywords because each rating and comment is like a backlink! I want to help you get more downloads and put your app on the front page where it should be. Your app deserves to be there more than some of the other apps I have seen there! Normally the only way for getting ratings and good reviews is by promoting your app using services like Facebook PPC, www.onthemob.com, www.mobyaffiliates.com and app-promo.com! The only problem is that these services can become very costly very quick - and not everyone can afford to pay $1000 - $10.000 a month to promote an app! Lucky for you I have been doing lots of research and tests and found a way to generate lots of reivews and positive 5 star ratings without it costing an arm and a leg! Here is what I can do for you;

You will get 40 or more 5 Star Ratings delivered in less than 5 days for just $49.

This is has been enough to get some apps on the front page in some categories! Or

You can order 80+ 5 Star Ratings and 20 positive Comments delivered in less than 5 days for $99!

With this package, you are guaranteed to see a HUGE improvement on your overall ranking in Google Play store and other android markets... and you stand the chance of getting noticed by the editors and have your app be recommended by the Editors (which would mean 1000s if not 100s of thousands of downloads)!!!! This is a 1 off limited offer! And you won't get it anywhere else! Get in touch now and tell me which package you would like to order today! All the best, may 2013 be a great year for you! Kind Regards James Anderson.

REPLY THIS EMAIL IF YOU NEED

Did you receive an email saying

"I just learned how to net $186 in just about two days online. made it without effort at - x.co/xxx - youre going to be so much more happier!"

or smilar? 

First of all IT IS A SCAM! 

If you visit the page, you get redirected to article.news21nbc.com which looks like legit nbc site but it hosted in China!

Article preecets a screen capture from APERANTLY NBC but if you pay attention you'll see that it is French TV LC1 :)

Thats not it. All the comments and Facebook Likes on the article are fake too!

Don't be fooled.

Here is the screenshot of the site.

Today a friend in UK has received a text message from number +447786200611 asking them to reply text with YES to pay off remaning £7.5 overdue payment.

When they called TV Licencing company they've been told that their account is ok and not to respond to text message.

Not sure if this is a scam but i advice you to call them on 0300 790 6131 to findout about your account status.

Have a read!

"

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Anti-Terrorist And Monitory Crime Division.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation.
J.Edgar.Hoover Building Washington Dc
Customers Service Hours / Monday To Saturday
Office Hours Monday To Saturday: 

Dear Beneficiary,
 
Series of meetings have been held over the past 7 months with the secretary general of the United Nations Organization. This ended 3 days ago. It is obvious that you have not received your fund which is to the tune of $9.8million due to past corrupt Governmental Officials who almost held the fund to themselves for their selfish reason and some individuals who have taken advantage of your fund all in an attempt to swindle your fund which has led to so many losses from your end and unnecessary delay in the receipt of your fund. 
 
The National Central Bureau of Interpol enhanced by the United Nations and Federal Bureau of Investigation have successfully passed a mandate to the current president of Nigeria his Excellency President Umaru Yar'Adua to boost the exercise of clearing all foreign debts owed to you and other individuals and organizations who have been found not to have receive their Contract Sum, Lottery/Gambling, Inheritance and the likes.
Now how would you like to receive your payment? because we have two method of 
payment which is by Check or by ATM card?

ATM Card: We will be issuing you a custom pin based ATM card which you will use to withdraw up to $3,000 per day from any ATM machine that has the Master Card Logo on it and the card have to be renewed in 4 years time which is 2014. Also with the ATM card you will be able to transfer your funds to your local bank account. The ATM card comes with a handbook or manual to enlighten you about how to use it. Even if you do not have a bank account.
Check: To be deposited in your bank for it to be cleared within three working days. Your payment would be sent to you via any of your preferred option and would be mailed to you via UPS. Because we have signed a contract with UPS which should expire by the end of March 2010 you will only need to pay $115 instead of $420 saving you $305 So if you pay before March 28 2010 you save $305 Take note that anyone asking you for some kind of money above the usual fee is definitely a fraudsters and you will have to stop communication with every other person if you have been in contact with any. Also remember that all you will ever have to spend is $115.00 nothing more! Nothing less! And we guarantee the receipt of your fund to be successfully delivered to you within the next 24hrs after the receipt of payment has been confirmed. 

Below are few list of tracking numbers you can track from UPS website to confirm people like you who have received their payment successfully.
 
Name : Donna L. Vargas: UPS Tracking Number: 1Z757F991598420403 (www.ups.com)
Name : Rovenda Elaine Clayton: UPS Tracking Number:  1Z757F991596606592 (www.ups.com)
 
Note: Everything has been taken care of by the Federal Government of Nigeria, The United Nation and also the FBI and including taxes, custom paper and clearance duty so all you will ever need to pay is $220. 
DO NOT SEND MONEY TO ANYONE UNTIL YOU READ THIS: The actual fees for shipping your ATM card is $420 but because UPS have temporarily discontinued the C.O.D which gives you the chance to pay when package is delivered for international shipping We had to sign contract with them for bulk shipping which makes the fees reduce from the actual fee of $420 to $115 nothing more and no hidden fees of any sort!
To effect the release of your fund valued at $9.8million you are advised to contact our correspondent in Africa the delivery officer MR. SMITH WILLIAMS with the information below, 

Email: smithwilliams320@yahoo.cn
Telephone: +2348027385402
You are adviced to contact him with the informations as stated below:

Your full Name..
Your Address:..............
Home/Cell Phone:..............
Preferred Payment Method ( ATM / Cashier Check )
Upon receipt of payment the delivery officer will ensure that your package is sent within 24 working hours. Because we are so sure of everything we are giving you a 100% money back guarantee if you do not receive payment/package within the next 24hrs after you have made the payment for shipping.
 
Yours sincerely,
Miss Donna Story
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535 
 
Note: Do disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to be in possession of your ATM CARD, you are hereby advice only to be in contact with Mr. Williams Smith of the ATM CARD CENTRE who is the rightful person to deal with in regards to your ATM CARD PAYMENT and forward any emails you get from impostors to this office so we could act upon and commence investigation."

Here what I just got in my email inbox after posting about Nigerian 419 scam yesterday

Funny how god works

"Attention: Beneficiary,
This is to inform you that following the last meeting held by the member states of United Nations, 
World bank and Nigeria regarding the huge debts owed so many foreigners and with special emphasis 
on the provision of Section (114), Sub section (04) of the 1999 constitution of the 
Federal Republic of Nigeria, I hereby inform you that your long overdue payment file has been 
verified and confirmed okay by this payment department. However, be informed that it was resolved 
at the meeting that you will be paid $9,500 United States dollars everyday via Western union money
transfer till the money you are being owed is completed, This decision was taken to avoid cases
where by government officials and bank officials frustrate owed beneficiaries by asking for various
amounts of money before beneficiaries payment are released.

To immediately start receiving this payment of $9,500 United States dollars everyday you are 
required to revalidate your file by responding immediately so that I will issue you the revalidation form,
the money transfer information and ten digits Money transfer control numbers (MTCN NUMBERS) 
which you will use to receive the first payment in your country because it has already been sent.
You are also required to forward to this office all the information bellow which will be used
for revalidation and verification of your payment file.

YOUR FULL NAME……………………………………………………………………
YOUR HOME OR OFFICE ADDRESS………………………………………………
YOUR AGE………………………… SEX ……………………………………………
YOUR OCCUPATION …………………………………………………………………
TELEPHONE NO.: …………………………

Regards,
Rev. Dagogo Williams
The Presidency, Foreign Payment Department."

Here are the headers of email

Received: from pigalleboston.com ([216.222.201.201])
	by xxxxxxx
	(using TLSv1/SSLv3 with cipher AES256-SHA (256 bits))
	for xxx@xxx;
	Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:34:12 +0000
Received: from User (87-248-191-69.starnet.md [87.248.191.69] (may be forged))
	(authenticated bits=0)
	by pigalleboston.com (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id o2Q1QsLw027007;
	Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:27:13 -0400
Message-Id: <201003260127.o2Q1QsLw027007@pigalleboston.com>
X-Orig: 87-248-191-69.starnet.md [87.248.191.69] (may be forged)
X-Authentication-Warning: pigalleboston.com: pigalleb owned process doing -bs
Reply-To: <customerservice29@hotmail.com>
From: "Rev. Dagogo Williams Jr."<wup@wup.com>
Subject: YOUR WESTERN UNION PAYMENT NOTIFICATION!!!
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:29:37 -0800
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="Windows-1251"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000

Have you noticed the ISP starnet.md? MD is TLD country code of Moldova and it reminded me a security article about koobface i have read couple of days back. It too hosted in Moldova!

I have no  proof but it looks like

• either koobface is using Nigerian scam
• or someone from Nigeria bought service from them and using it to scam people