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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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.
  • lottosupportdesk@webmail.co.za

Fraud email example:

From: lottotoday@webmail.co.za
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 16:09:02 +0200
Subject: Lottery Winning Notification

Omega International Lottery.
South Africa Branch
Ref: NL/068/05

DRAW RESULTS NOTIFICATION

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of our
computer random selection for the National Lottery
068/05 of Wednesday,October 5,2005.Your email address
attached to ticket number 4 6 8 0 6 drew the lucky
star number which consequently won you the draw in the
first category.

You have been approved for the star prize of One
Million Dollars United States Dollars(US$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 Omega: Just send your winning ticket
number and your personal data
to thus:..........................................

Rev.Williams Marrow
Suite 202,4 Usdridge Road.
2198 Johannesburg(South Africa)
Tel: +277 3138 7281.
email: lottosupportdesk@webmail.co.za
CONTACT PERSON:
Reverend Williams Marrow(Promotion Manager)

for the final 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.Mariam Sanchez(Operations Lottery)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam