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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:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• 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.

Fraud email example:

From: "ECOWAS ORGANISATION" <ecowas_courier47@live.com>
Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 03:29:29 +0500
Subject: Qualification numbers (1416-4612-750)


We happily announce to you the draw (#942) of the Actionaid Online
Email Lottery organized for email users all over the World as part of
our international promotional program to encourage email Users.Your e-
mail address, attached to ticket pin 1416-4612-750 ,with serial Number
3187-17 and lucky number 3-17-8-28-55(bonus no.25) consequently won in
The
Second Category. You have therefore been approved to receive the Sum
of $750,000 which is the winning payout for Second Category winners.

Do not have doubt over Your participation in this Promotion, as all
Participants were selected Through an electronic computer ballot
system for all email users drawn From over 2,500,000 email addresses
of individuals and companies from
Africa,America,Asia,Australia,Europe, Middle East, Oceania, North
American,and South American.All information is
strictly confidential and will only be used for the purpose to which
it is been requested.Please note that these donations/Grants are
strictly administered by Economic community for West African States
(ECOWAS),European Union(EU)On behalf of the Board kindly, accept our
warmestcongratulations.

You are required to fill the form below and email it to our Claims
Attorney below for qualification documentation and processing of your
claims. After contacting our office with the requested data, you will
be given your donation pin number, which you will use in collecting
the funds. Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers (1416-
4612-750) in all discussions.

FULL NAMES:

ADDRESS:

COUNTRY:

SEX:

AGE:

OCCUPATION:

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Claims Attorney:Barrister;Perry Parkinson
E-mail:ecowas_courier47@live.com


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam