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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 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.
  • accessfina@zwallet.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "stabrigh@go.com" <stabrigh@go.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 11:04:49 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: BRIGHT-STAR LOTTO NV,



BRIGHT-STAR LOTTO NV,FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
REF: BSLNV/8965248/05 BATCH: 001/11/05/MER
RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE.
We are pleased to inform you of the release today the 3rd of November 2005, of the 25th edition of the Rainbow lotto International program held on the 31st of October 2005. Your personal or company email address attached to ticket number 0685472 with serial number 945-77 drew lucky numbers 2-5-8-15-21-29-37 which consequently won the lotto in the First category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of 1,500,000 Euro (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Euro) in cash credited to file Ref.No BSLNV/8965248/05. This is from a total cash prize of 25 Million Euros shared among several international lucky winners in this category.
CONGRATULATIONS. Your fund is now deposited with Access Finance Bvba to your name and due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this winning private from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your designated account.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claim and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 1,000,000 companies and individual email addresses from all over the world as part of our international promotions program, which takes place once in every year.
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 15th of November 2005. After this date all unclaimed fund will be returned to the pool as unclaimed and included in the next stake.
To file for your claim, please contact our/your fiducial agent,
MR. MICHAEL BEST of the,ACCESS FINANCE BVBAE-Mail: accessfina@zwallet.com
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondence with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of address, do inform your agent as soon as possible.
Anybody under the age of 18 years is automatically disqualified. Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Sincerely,Mrs. Paulina Palma.(Lottery Director)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam