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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
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• 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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "australian lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
  • "international lottery programme" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • director_jamesmorgan@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • boardmembersdrfredwillson@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:25:02 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!!YOUR EMAIL HAS WON($1.500.000.00USD)AUSTRALIA
AWARD.









CONGRATULATIONS!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED,AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONAL
LOTTERY INC. IS REGISTERED UNDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT OF
(Registration Z720633X).


SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY INC,
ST JAMES AND PICCADILLY STREET,
208 PICCADILLY LONDON WIA 2 DG
UNITED KINGDOM.


RE: FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION CONGRATULATIONS!!!


Ref: 475061725
Batch: 7056490902/188
Winning no: GB8701/LPRC:
Date: 18/10/2008.


Dear Sir/Madam,


We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on the 17th of octorber, 2008 from the Australian International Lottery programmed. Which is fully based on electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses from some site. Your email address was attached to ticket number; 17212, serial number,7741137002 This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows 8382-42 bonus number 17,which consequently won the lottery in the second category. You hereby have been approved a lump sum pay of: US$1,500,000.00 (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) in cash credit file Ref:ILP/HW 47509/02 from the total cash prize shared amongst eight lucky winners in this category. All participant were selected through a computer balloting system drawn from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually. This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities where they have operational base.


Further more your details (e-mail address) falls within our European representative office in Amsterdam, Holland, as indicated in your play coupon and your prize of: US$1.500,000.00 will be released to you from this regional branch office.We hope with part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes for US$1.3 Billion international draw to each winner.


HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE: Simply contact our fiducially claim agent in London, DIRECTOR REV. FR.JAMES MORGAN AT: director_jamesmorgan@yahoo.com to file for your claim. Please quote your reference, batch and winning number which can be found on the top left corner of this notification as well as your full name, address and telephone number to help locate your file easily.


For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this programmed by non-participant or unofficial personnel.


Note, all winnings MUST be claimed before the 5th of Jenuary 2009; otherwise all funds will be returned as unclaimed and eventually donated to charity organizations.
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS:AGENT AT:
boardmembersdrfredwillson@gmail.com

ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION.


HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE INSTANTLY:
Simply contact your claims agent by providing him with your personal data including your Ref: number, Batch:number and Winning no to file for your claim with details as follows: NAME: Dr Fred Willson
boardmembersdrfredwillson@gmail.com


NOTE: THE CLAIM AGENT WILL GIVE YOU CONTACT ADDRESS OF THE BANK IN-CHARGE TO RELEASE AND TRANSFER YOUR PRIZE TO YOU. DO CONTACT HIM IMMEDIATELY TO FILE FOR YOUR CLAIMS.
Please quote your reference, batch and winning number which can be found on the top left corner of this notification as well as your full name, address and telephone number to help locate your file easily.


ANYONE BELOW EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE CAN MAKE HIS/HER CLAIM IN PROXY THROUGH EITHER OF THE PARENTS AND DO INFORM THE AGENT IN CHARGE


Congratulations once again on your winnings!!!

Best Regards,
Mrs. Julie Van Hans,
(VICE PRESIDENT).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam