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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • greenhouseinvestment@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr fredrick williams" <dr_fredrickwilliams@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 14:32:54 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!!!!!!!!

GRAND UNIVERSAL PROMO LOTTERY
10 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE,
LONDON WC2N 5BX, THE UNITED KINGDOM.
FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR PROMOTIONS,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF: GUPL/67-AO91852009


AWARD NOTIFICATION; FINAL NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today,12th of october,
2005,of winners of the GRAND UNIVERSAL PROMO LOTTERY held on 20th of
september, 2005. Your email address attached to ticket number
23-2816-8086-647, with serial number A025-09 drew the lucky numbers
37-13-80-65-56-87, and consequently won in category A. You have
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$500,000.00 in cash
credited to file REF
NO. GUPL/67-AO91852009.

This is from total prize money of US$3,000.000.00 shared among the
six international winners in the category A.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from 100,000 companies/individuals from Middle East, Australia, New
Zealand,America, Asia, Europe and North America as part of our
International PromotionsProgram, which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now deposited with a Green House Investment Company insured in
your Email address.
Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep
this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been
processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our
security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by
participants of this program.
We hope with a part of you prize, you will participate in our end of
year high stakes US$200 million International lotto.
To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent immediately;


MR. MICHAEL GANS.
Foreign Service Manager,
GREEN HOUSE INVESTMENT COMPANY ,
EDWARD BARRINGTON CORP.
Email Address:
(greenhouseinvestment@myway.com)

For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice. Remember, you must contact your claims officer
not later than 26 of october 2005. After this date, all funds will be
returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference number in every one of your
correspondences with your officer. Furthermore, should there be any
change of your address, do inform your claims officer as soon as
possible.
Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotions program.

Yours Sincerely

Dr. Fedrick Williams.

THE DIRECTOR PROMOTIONS,
GRAND UNIVERSAL PROMO LOTTERY
N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the Winners will
result to disqualification. Do not reply to this mail; contact your
claims agent immediately

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam