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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "deadline" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +31610158659 (Netherlands, 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.
  • timothynelson001@netscape.net
  • timothynelson001@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "Timothy Nelson" <timothynelson@oceanfortune.com>
Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 14:41:57 +0000
Subject: winning notification

OCEAN FORTUNE LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
REF: MLI/231-ILGI0431/03
BATCH: IPD/787/879/TYRU
RE: WINNING FINAL NOTIFICATION

Sir/Madam

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the
Lottery Winners
International programs held on the
9TH of September 2005. Your e-mail address attached to
ticket number 20711465897-6291 with serial number
472-971102 drew lucky numbers 11-76-8760-76-777 which
consequently won
in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved
for a lump sum
pay out of US$ 746,000.00 (Seven Hundred and forty six
Thousand United
States

Dollars)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that
you keep your winning information very confidential
till
your claims has been processed and your prize/money
Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol
to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of
this program by some participants.

All participants were selected through a computer
ballot system drawn from over 200,000.00 company and
300,000.00
individual email addresses and names from all over the
world. This
promotional program takes place annually. We hope with
part of your
winning you will take part in our next year USD1
million ( One Million
United States dollars) international lottery. To file
for your claim,
please contact our/your fiducial agent Mr.Timothy
Nelson whose company Euro Security Consultancy is an
agent of Ocean Fortune Lottery and they have been
directed to make all payments to all the winners
before the deadline which is October 30th
2005. You are to contact your claims agent to claim
your winning using the following informations below

NAME:Mr. Timothy Nelson
TEL: +31 610 158 659
Email: timothynelson001@netscape.net

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than
30th of August 2005. After this date all unclaimed,
funds will be included in the next stake. Please note
in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications
please remember to quote your reference number and
batch numbers in all correspondence. Furthermore,
should there be any change of address do inform our
agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff
and thank
you for being part of our promotional program.
Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically
disqualified.

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Belinda Van Dijk

Lottery Coordinator.
REPLY EMAIL TO timothynelson001@netscape.net

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam