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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +31633727616 (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.
  • selectedwinners@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ELECTRONIK LOTTERY PROMOTION" <wouters_001@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 05 May 2006 15:49:05 +0200
Subject: YOU HAVE BEEN RANDOMLY SELECTED A WINNER

FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS. WINNING NOTICE FOR
CATEGORY \"A\" WINNER.

Dear Lucky Winner,

RE: ELEKTRONIK LOTTO PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION.

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded annual
final draws of Lotto International Netherlands programs. The online cyber
lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 25,000 e-mail addresses
of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced
automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets were sold.
After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged as one of
two winners in the category \"A\" with the following:
Ref Number: AL 570 ES 537
Batch Number: 26371345-LNI/05
You as well as the other winners are therefore to receive a cash prize of
$1,500,000.00. (ONE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ONLY)
each from the total payout.Your prize award has been insured with your
e-mail address and will be transferred to you upon meeting our
requirements,statutory obligations, verifications, validations and
satisfactory report.
To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are advised to
contact our licensed and accredited claims agent for category \"A\" winners
with the information below:

ALLAN WOUTERS,
Remittance Department Director,
Tel: +31 633 727 616
FAX: +31 847 580 469
Email:selectedwinners@netscape.net

NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than 14 days. After this date,
all unclaimed funds would be included in the next stake. Remember to quote
your reference information in all correspondence.
You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public
especially your reference and batch numbers. (This is important as a case of
double claims will not be entertained).
Members of the affiliate agencies are automatically not allowed to
participate in this program.
Congratulations!!!

Yours faithfully,
MaryAnn Klose,
Games/Lottery Coordinator.
Lotto International Netherlands

This email may contain information which is confidential and/or privileged.
The information is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity
named above. If you are not the intended recipient,be aware that any
disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents is prohibited.If
you have received this electronic transmission in error,please notify the
sender by telephone or return email and delete the material from your
computer.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam