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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:
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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • ",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)
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +2348038788197 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • stevetown@walla.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Helen Parker" <helenparker10@mailbox.hu>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 12:53:00 +0100
Subject: Dear Winner


The Award Department,
The Primetime Foundation Inc.,
12 Picadilly,
Manchester, M60 2DB
United Kingdom.

From: Mrs. Helen Parker, Prize Administrator
Re: Notification of winning/Prize Award.

Batch Number: PF/O3/TZFC/O7
Ref Number: 2007281522
Pin Number: 1209

Dear Winner,

Following the results of our annual Award/Grant draws concluded this month,
we are pleased to inform you, that your e-mail address drew lucky numbers
7-14-18-23-31 which won in the final category. You are one of the 7 selected
winners and you have been approved for a lump sum pay out of $1,500,000.00
(One Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars.)

Your payment falls into our African payment center. This means that you will
be paid from a commonwealth country in Africa. A claims agent has been
assigned to you from this country.

You are hereby advised to contact your claims agent for immediate
acquaintance with guidelines for the claim and subsequent payment of your
prize award. You are required to quote your winning numbers to him.

Kindly find his contact details below.

Name of Agent: Reverend Steve Town
E-mail: stevetown@walla.com
Tel: +234 803 878 8197

Keep your winning information confidential to avoid double claim.

Accept our sincere congratulations.

Regards,
Mrs. Helen Parker

(Prize Administrator)

********************************************************************************************************
Copyright (c) 1999-2008 Primetime Foundation. All rights reserved. E&OE.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the expressed
written permission of Primetime Foundation is prohibited.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam