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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +31620055446 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • frontconsultant@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Douglas smith" <frontconsultant@netscape.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 07:29:51 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION


FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
NATIONAL E-MAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
BACTH NO : LDNL/1091/1976/6754
REF. No: LDNL/3211/8904/4353

WINNING NOTIFICATION / FINAL NOTICE

This is to inform you of the release of the EMAIL LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL/WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 30TH of August 2005. Due to the mix up of number, the results were released on the 5th of October 2005. Your email address attached to Ticket No:12890567 with Serial No:8535390782 the Lucky No: 2123489765 which consequently won the lottery in the 1st Category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of US$500,000:00 Only (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) in cash which is deposited with a Finance & Security Company in your favour as beneficiary and covered with HIGH INSURANCE POLICY Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system !
drawn from only Microsoft users from over 20,000 company, and 3,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. To begin your lottery claim, please contact the appionted Agent below that have been appointed for the processing of your claim with your Full Name, Home Address, Home and Office contact Telephone and Fax number to begin the processing of your claim

FRONT LINE CONSULTANT Bv
MR.Douglas Smith
E-MAIL;frontconsultant@netscape.net
Tel:+31-620-055-446

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 26th of October 2005. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotiom programme.

Warm Regards,
Diana Kobi
Lottery Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam