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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• 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)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• 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 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.
  • regionalfinss@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "lucky day" <luckyday0013@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 22:18:40 +0200
Subject: $2,000,000:00 FROM SELECT AWARD!!!


$2,000,000:00 FROM SELECT AWARD!!!

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
SELECT LOTTO/LUCKY DAY LOTTO NL
Ref.No NLD/2300786008/06.
Batch No 10/044/SLN

Dear Winner,

We are pleased to inform you the result of the computer random selection for
the SELECT LOTTO/LUCKY DAY LOTTO NL International program held on 1st
of June 2008.Your
personal or company email address, attached to ticket number
205-11465886-629, with serial number 3772-99 drew the lucky numbers
7-14-17-23-31-44, and consequently won the lottery in the 2nd category.

The email lottery draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 900,000.000
e-mail addresses of individual, companies, and corporate bodies picked by an
advanced automated random computer search ballot system from the Internet.
All participants email addresses were extracted/selected through a computer
balloting system drawn from 900,000.000 email addresses from all over the
world as part of our International Promotions Program, which is conducted
annually.It was a promotional program from our software department in
promoting the benefit of the Internet usage.( NO TICKETS WERE SOLD)

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of *(Two Million
Untied **Stated Dollars) $2,000,000:00* in cash credited to file *REF
NO: **NLD/2300786008/06
and Batch No 10/044/SLN*, This is from total prize money of (one hundred
million Dollars $100,000,000:00) shared among several international lucky
winners in this category.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Your funds have now been deposited and insured with our affiliate security
firm for transfer into your nominated bank account either by means of wire
transfers through any of our correspondent banks or any other means suitable
to you. We also advice that you keep your winning information very
confidential as our security policy demands to avoid double
claims/impersonation and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by
participants.

To begin your claims, you are urgently requested to contact our claims agent
(Regional Finance) Amsterdam-Netherlands immediately with your telephone
number and fax numbers, and make sure you quote your, *REF
NO:**NLD/2300786008/06,Batch
No: 10/044/SLN* your name and contact details in all your correspondence
with the finance institute.

....................................................................
Company Name: Regional Financial
Officer in Charge: Mr. Andrea John
Tel/Fax: +31 847 179 088
E-mail: regionalfinss@aim.com
.....................................................................

Remember,all winnings must be claim not later than 16th of June 2008. After
this date all unclaimed funds will be return to the promotion company.

Indicate your full Name and Address,Country,Telephone and fax number in your
reply to your claim agent.

Yours sincerely,
Mrs.Linda Zamora
(Lottery Coordinator)
SELECT LOTTO/LUCKY DAY LOTTO NL

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam