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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• 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.
  • contactoffice_luckyday@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "LUCKY WINNER" <luckywinnerinfo@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 23:01:38 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION:

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

LUCKYDAY E-MAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL

PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.

COMPUTERIZED LOTTERY WINNER PRIZE AWARD

BACTH NO: PTP/31211214257/190888/2202

REF. NO: PTP/21449267220/255100//2202

ATTN: LOTTERY WINNER,

This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL

LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL/ WORLD GAMING BOARD

Held on the 25rd of September 2005.

Due to the mix up of number, the results were released

On the 4th of october, 2005.

Your name attached to ticket number 219028657434 with

Serial number (18735625)drew the lucky numbers of

21-70-81-82-99 which consequently won the lottery

In the 1st category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout

Of TWO MILLION EUROS ONLY in cash which is deposited

With a Finance & Security Company in your favour as

Beneficiary and covered with HIGH INSURANCE POLICY

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that

You keep your winning information confidential until

Your claims has been processed and your 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 only Microsoft users

From over 20,000.00companies and 3,000,000 individual

Email addresses and names from all over the world.

To begin your lottery claim, please contact our agent

Below that have been appointed for the processing of your claim with

Contact telephone and fax number to begin the processing of

Winnings:

LUCKYDAY PAYMENT OFFICE, MANCHESTER ENGLAND

CONTACT NAME: Andrew Gordon

TEL: (44)79 0000-6950, (44)78 91 5947 07

FAX :( 44)-87 0133 4585

Email: contactoffice_luckyday@hotmail.com

Note that all winnings must be claimed not later than

23rd of October, 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.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Marty Evans

Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to disqualification. This E-mail message (including attachments, if any) is intended for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain Information that is privileged, proprietary, and confidential and exempted from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam