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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
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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.
  • thomasclark@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark Wright" <markwright231@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 10:32:52 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!

It is our pleasure to inform you that you have emerged as a Category "A"
winner of the Premier International South Africa.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You are entitled to a prize sum of S$4,500,000.00.Reference number for your
prize is WWPL/UK/61-812087,ticket number A/03-4912.

As a category A winner, you have been selected from a total number of 25,000
names drawn from Asia,Africa,Europe,Middle East and America. After the
computer ballot of our International Promotions Program, only six winners
emerged in the category and therefore both are to receive payouts of
US$4,500,000.00 from the total 27,000,000.00 United States Dollars for
second category winners.

We in the Premier International South Africa, It is by this program,
launching our model computer balloting draws,developed and designed to
satisfy the cravings of the ever growing number of participants in our
various programs.

With funds accrued exclusively from previous draws, payouts to all winners
are guaranteed and will be transferred in record time.

To immediately collect your prize, please contact our Category "A" financial
handlers with information below:

Mr. Thomas Clark
Alpha Trust & Finance Company
South Africa
Email : thomasclark@sify.com

Provide prize reference number-WWPL/UK/61-812087 and winning ticket
number-A/03-4912 for confirmation.

In your best interests, you must initiate contact within one week of receipt
of this correspondence.

You are also advised to send a copy of this email,either by fax or email, to
your financial handler Mr. Thomas Clark when contacting him.

You are to keep all information from the public as we will not entertain
cases of multiple claims processing or compromise the privacy and security
for all winners.

Other necessary Premier International South Africa information are:

Draw 1 number: 01-11417
Draw 2 number: 02-7962
International code no: IL55008

You may be required to provide any of the above information during the
process of collecting your prize.

You are seriously advised once again to keep all winning information and
numbers from the public in line with our company security protocol to avoid
double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by unscrupulous
individuals.

We congratulate you once again and it is our hope that you participate in
any of our international programs in the nearest future.

Thank you

Sincerely,

THE COORDINATOR,
PREMIER INTERNATIONAL SOUTH AFRICA
GREAT SURRY HOUSE
203 BLACK FRAIRS ROAD,
LONDON
SE 1 8NH

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam