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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!
  
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million us 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)
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +2347085535144
• 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.
  • tonynepa001@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: office21@freenet.de
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:54:54 +0100
Subject: RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE


FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD.
ENGR. BENSON KIMSON
BATCH: EGS/ 22504002/04:
REFERENCE: 15/0018/IPD
 
ATTN: WINNER.
 
RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION,
FINAL NOTICE.
 
We are pleased to inform you, that as a result of our
RECENT LOTTERY DRAWS Your e-mail address attached to ticket
number:085-12876077-09 with serial number:51390-0 drew lucky
numbers:03-05-12-14-38 which consequently won in the 5th category. you
have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of  (ONE MILLION US
DOLLARS ONLY) in cash credited to file with REF:
º.EGS/3662367114/13.Note that all participants in this lottery program
have been Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South
America, Middle East and Africa, as part of our international Promotions
Program. This promotional program takes place every year, and is
promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities like the Sultan of
Brunei, Bill Gates of Microsoft  inc and other corporate organizations.
This is to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide.
Your fund is now deposited in the bank and insured in your name.
 
For
security purpose and clarity, we advise that you keep your winning
information confidential until your claims have been processed and your
money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to
avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this program by  our
participants. 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:
 
MR. TONY EZE
E MAIL: tonynepa001@yahoo.fr
TEL:
+234-708-553-5144
CALL HIM IMMEDIATELY WITH HIS ABOVE DIRECT PHONE
NUMBER,IF YOU ARE CALLING FROM THE USA THIS IS HOW YOU WILL DIAL
011-234-708-553-5144. ADD YOUR COUNTRY CODE IF YOU ARE DIALLING FROM
OUTSIDE THE USA THEN THE NUMBER.
 
When you contact him, please provide
him with your secret BATCH NO,SERIAL NO.You are also advised to  provide
him with the under listed information as soon as possible:
1. Name in
full
2. Address
3. Nationality
4. Age
5. Occupation
6. Phone/Fax
 
All
winnings must be claimed not later than one month After the date of this
notice.Please note,in order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications,remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers
in all correspondence. furrthermore,should there be any change of
address do inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations!!!once
more and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
 
Also
note that 10% of your fund will be going to the urban lottery after you
must have received the fund into your account.
 
Sincerely,
ENGR .
BENSON KIMSON.
VICE PRESIDENT.
URBAN LOTTERY.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Unbegrenzter Speicher, Top-Spamschutz, 120
SMS und eigene E-MailDomain
inkl.
http://office.freenet.de/dienste/emailoffice/produktuebersicht/power/mail/index.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam