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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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.
  • +34630850856 (Spain, 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.
  • sanchezfernando@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: "LOTERIA NACIONAL" <lottery-luckyday@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 23:41:01 +0000
Subject: LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION !!!

El Gordo Loteria Nacional
Madrid Branch
Ref: NL/068/04
DRAW RESULTS NOTIFICATION
Dear Sir/Madam,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of our
computer random selection for the National Lottery
068/04 of Wednesday, October 5, 2005. Your email address
attached to ticket number 4 6 8 0 6 drew the lucky
star number which which consequently won the draw in
the first category.

You have been approve for the star prize of One
Million Dollars ($1.000.000.00).

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

You are advised to keep this winnining very
confidential until you receive your lump prize in your
account.This is a protective measure to avoid double
claiming by people you may tell.
Now convert your lottery winning notification into
money here in El Gordo: Just send your winning ticket
number and your personal data
to..........................................

Sanchez Fernando Abogado
Avda. de la Constitución 14, E-6
28850 - Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid)
Tel: +34 63 0850 856
email: barr-sanchezfernando@myway.com
CONTACT PERSON:
Barrister Sanchez Fernando

for the processing of your claim. All prizes must be
claimed
within three months.
NOTE: If you are under the age of 18, you are
automatically disqualified for this star prize.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs.Teresa Armas Gonzalez

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam