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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:
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million 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)
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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.
• 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.
  • +27739880069 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <euro_afroagent1@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:23:18 -0800
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION!!



Euro, Afro, American, Sweepstake Lottery Headquarters: 1a, Bexon Court Carlton Nottinghamshire Nottingham NG4 1SQ Essex United Kingdom Customer Service: 580 NCA 85914 Ref: EAASL/941OYI/03 Batch: 12/25/DC34 WINNING NOTIFICATION!! Dear Our Lucky Winner, We happily announce and congratulate you over your email success in our computer balloting of Euro - Afro American Sweepstake International Lottery programs held on 9th November 2008 in Essex United Kingdom. This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; your e-mail address attached to ticket number: B9564 75604545 188 with! Serial number 97560 drew the winning: 59/84/26/17/35, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) in cash credited to file KPC/9080118308/02.This is from a total cash prize of US $5,100,000.00 Million dollars, shared amongst the first One Hundred and thirty (130) lucky winners in this category world-wide. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Afro booklet representative office in Africa as indicated in your coupon. In view of this, your US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) would be released to you by our bank. Our African agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer ballot system and extracted from over 100,000,00 companies. This promotion takes place annually. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact our banking attorney (Lawyer) immediately you read this message for quick and urgent release of your fund, his contact information is as follow:- Name: BARRISTER DAVID SMITH ESQ. Phone: +27-73-988-0069Email: euro_afroagent1@yahoo.comPlease be informed that all winning must be claimed on or before 9th of December 2008. To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent. Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program that has successfully won this competition. Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program. Sincerely,
Mr. CHARLES WALL.United Kingdom Zonal Co-ordinator.
Mr. Alexandra Davis.United Kingdom zonal Secretary General,NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences with your claims officer. Any winner below the age of 18years is automatically disqualified. This information transmitted is only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material, any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information, by person or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Thank you for your co-operation.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam