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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.

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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:
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • grantzebra@latinmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "sandra williams" <sandrawilliams8@terra.com.mx>
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 16:29:51 -0600
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!


ZEBRA LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
34 Whitechapel High Street
London E1 7PF United Kingdom.
Ref. Number: 632/001/3001
Batch Number: 400001429-AK446
Please reply to my private email grantzebra@latinmail.com
Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 5th May, 2006.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 370982217413-7240 with serial number 4708-325 drew lucky numbers 2-34-28-13-41 which consequently won inthe 7th category,you have thereforebeen approved for a lump sum pay of USD$3,500,000.00(Three million five hundred thousand United States Dollars).CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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 participantswere selected through a compute ballot system drawn from over 20,000 company and 30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every three year.
This lottery was promoted and sponsored by UNICEF the (united international children education fund), we hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year USD50 million international lottery.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiducial agent MR.Bill Grant, of the Zebra Trust Agency immediately via this email grantzebra@latinmail.com address, i shall forward your mail to him for necessary action. Remember, all winning must be claimed within one month of receipt of this notice. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications 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, and send to me your private telephone numbers for easy communication. Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotionalprogram.
Sincerely yours,
SANDRA WILLIAMS (MS.)
Lottery Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam