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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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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:

• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: Adam Smith <adamsmithlotto4@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 15:44:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: VERIFICATION FORM


Dear Winner,

Your application for claim of lottery winning prize will be duly processed and settlements be made upon certification and verifications of your details.Be informed that we have in our possession,instruments of payments for the sum of 4,000,000.00 Euros to you.Hence carefully fill in the appropriate informations in the spaces provided below to facilitate our immediate processing of your claims.Your funds have since been deposited with FINANCE HOUSE.Once we receive the requested informations below,your claims file will be sent to FINANCE HOUSE for settlement.
THIS FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE BENEFICIARY OF THE STATE FUNDS FOR VERIFICATION BEFORE TRANSFER.
TITLE...........................................................
FIRST NAME.................................................
LAST NAME..................................................
REFERENCE NUMBER...................................
BATCH NUMBER............................................
CONTACT ADDRESS......................................
EMAIL ADDRESS............................................
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH...........................
TEL NO.....................FAX NO..........................
NEXT OF KIN..................................................
ADDRESS OF NEXT OF KIN.............................
NAME OF EMPLOYER......................................
ADDRESS OF EMPLOYER................................
TICKET NO/AMOUNT WON...............................
OCCUPATION..................................................
MARITAL STATUS............................................
DECLARATION:
I...............................HEREBY DECLARE THAT THE ABOVE INFORMATIONS ARE TRUE AND BINDING ON ME.IF AT ANY TIME IT IS DISCOVERED THAT I HAVE GIVEN ANY FALSE INFORMATION,I WILL FORFEIT MY RIGHTS TO MY WINNINGS.
FULL NAME............................. DATE..........................
Accept our congratulations.
Sincerely,
MR ADAM SMITH
N.B : WE HOPE YOUR WINNINGS WILL BE USED FOR THE BETTERMENT OF MANKIND,AND WILL CHANGE THE LIFES OF SO MANY PEOPLE FOR GOOD.NEVER THINK OF WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO FOR YOU BUT THINK OF WHAT YOU CAN DO TO UPLIFT THE LIFES OF PEOPLE,THAT WAY THERE WILL BE MORE OPEN DOORS AND BLESSING FROM GOD FOR YOU


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam