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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million pounds" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
  • "cheques " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447031941254 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • tripod.com@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: Ronalyn Bonifacio <ronabsbfan87@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 22:19:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: this is the entire message they send to me please check



FREE LOTTO ONLINE PROMOTION
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER
INTERNATIONAL GRANTS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
Online Promotions Manager
Uk Administrative Unit


ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MAIL FROM YOU

ATTENTION: ESTEEMED WINNER

Your careful attention is required.
As you have been cleared a winner of the Free Lotto New Year Promotions
of the total sum of £1,000,000.00(One Million Great British Pound
Sterling) in cash credited to file Ref No: NL/174/490/EC. This is from
a total prize money of £240,000,000 (Two Hundred and Forty Million
Pounds Sterling ) shared amongst the lucky winners in this grand
category.

It is very important that we inform
you that there was no sales of tickets as the draws was conducted by
assigning various Individual email addresses to different ticket
numbers for representation and privacy. Please note that this email
addresses is normally supplied to us by free email services providers
such as yahoo, hotmail, aol amongst others.

In line with this, your e-mail
address attached to Ticket Number 883734657492-5319 with Serial Number
7263-267, Batch Number: WN/0935-09 and Lucky Numbers 14-22-28-37-40-44
won in the 1st category of the total sum of £1,000, 000.00(One Million
Great British Pound Sterling) in cash credited.

For the remittance process to be carried out, those who are residing outside the United Kingdom are to use the services of a courier company (E-Cargo Courier Service)whose duty is to deliver their cheques to them in their house addresswhile they are to bear the cost of delivery. Please note that for thisoption, delivery cannot be carried out to P.O.BOXES only to the addressof the winner. In view of pass lottery draws, it has to be noted towinners under our online notification, that relations or friends of anywinner can not and will not be allowed to help claim winnings for anywinner under this lottery policy.

Therefore, because you are not residing close to the United Kingdom,we have forwarded your winning cheque and Certificate to the couriercompany who will be in charge of delivering it safely to you in yourcountry.

You
are advised to contact the courier company for the cost of delivering
your winning cheque of £1,000,000.00(One Million Great British Pound
Sterling) safely to you in your country for cashing. Send then an
e-mail with details below and also give then a call for fast response
to your case.

E-Cargo Courier Service
Unit 10 Cribbs Causeway,
Retail Park, Lysander Road,
Patchway, BRISTOL BS10 7TT.
E-mail: ecargo..tripod.com@hotmail.com
HotLines: +447031941254
+447031942375
Fax: 44870 479 2250

Pleasenote that Contact should be established immediately you receive thisemail so that details of the delivery of your winning cheque will becommunicated to you. In establishing contact, the number: (Order Number: E001/BTH/88UK) should also be included. You
must provide your first and last name, your e-mail address and your
postal address and other vital information about your self for proper
procedures to be carried out.

Furthermore, the number Order Number: E001/BTH/88UKis a very important and confidential number which is to be included inyour email to the courier company and carefully noted. Also, I mustinform you that to avoid unwarranted abuse and wrongful claims, you areto keep your winnings confidential.

Once again we formally congratulate you for emerging a lucky winner of the Free Lotto Award Promotions.


Sir.Anderson Morris
Online Encashment Agent.
Free Lotto Award Promotions
United Kingdom.

Copyright © 1999-2008 PlasmaNet Inc. all rights reserved. E&OE. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the expressed written permission of PlasmaNet Inc. is prohibited. Thank you and Congratulation Winners.





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam