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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +2348062637186 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: TINAPA PROMO <tinapa01111@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 07:56:55 +0000
Subject: AWARD NOTIFICATION



FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT MR.PAULMARK.(TINAPA SCHOLARSHIP INTERNATIONAL) PRIZE AWARD DEPT.REF NO: 12/0078/IPGBATCH NO: EGS/ 20054117/08ATTN: WINNER.AWARD NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE.We are pleased to inform you, that as a result of ourRECENT LOTTERY DRAWS HELD ON THE 15th May 2007. Your e-mail addressattached to ticket number:021-7276083-04 with serial number:31270-0 drew lucky numbers:05-06-12-14-38 which consequently won in the 5th category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) in cash credited tofile with REF: ?.EGS/3662367114/13Note that all participants in this lottery programhave been selected randomly through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 Officials and 30,000,000 individual email addresses from all search engines and web sites,from Asia,Australia, NewZealand, Europe, North and SouthAmerica, Middle East and Africa, as part of ourInternational Promotions Program.This promotional program takes place every year,and ispromoted and sponsored by eminent personalities like the Sultan of Brunei and other corporate organizations. This is to IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION WORLDWIDEand to ENCOUAGE THE USE OF INTERNET AND COMPUTERS WORLDWIDE. Your fund is now deposited with Union Bank and insuredin your name For security purpose and clarity,we advise that you keepyour winning information confidential until your claims have beenprocessed and your money remitted to your account.This is part of our security protocol to avoid doubleclaims and unwarranted abuse of this program by someparticipants. We look forward to your active participation in our next 4 million dollars slot. To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your claims agent through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below:Name..Barrister Aziz BuzoTEL: +234-806-263-7186 CALL HIM IMMEDIATELY WITH HISABOVE DIRECT PHONE NUMBER IF YOU ARE CALLING FROM (USA) THIS IS HOW YOU DIAL 011-234-806-263-7186 BUT IF YOU ARE CALLING FROMANY OTHER COUNTRY,THIS IS HOW TO DIAL +234-806-263-7186You are also advised to provide your claim agent withthe under listed information as soon as possible send it to his email address below,YOUR CLAIM AGENT EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW,E MAIL: barristerbzu@yahoo.com1. Name in full2. Address3. Nationality4. Age5. Occupation6. Phone/Fax7. Batch Number8. Serial NumberAll winnings must be claimed not later than one monthafter the date of this notice. Please note,in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,remember to quote your Batch number and Serial numbers in all correspondence.Furthermore,should there be any change of address doinform our agent as soon as possible.Congratulations!!!once more and thank you for beingpart of our promotional program. Bear in mind that 10% of yourfund will be going to the lottery organization that played the lottery with peoples name and email addresses that should beafter you most have received the fund in youraccount,the 10% would have been given to them,justbecause the fund has been insured and will not beremoved till you receive the fund in your account.Sincerely,MR.PAUL MARK.VICE PRESIDENT.TINAPA LOTTO INT'L
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam