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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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 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.
  • +31619044936 (Netherlands, 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.
  • info_vinscofinance@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "negus negas" <negus_negas@msn.com>
Reply-To: info_vinscofinance@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 17:31:35 +0000
Subject: Contact The Paying Bank

South Australia Lotteries
23 Rundle Mall, Adelaide
South Australia.
South Australia Lottories is an affiliate of Overseas
Subscriber Agents).
Arena Complex 14 Donegall Square West, United Kingdom.
From: Susan Console
(Lottery Coordinator)

Sir/Madam,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the South Australia Lotteries
Winners International programs held on the 4th October, 2005. Your e-mail
address attached to ticket #: 00903228100 with prize # 778009/2 drew
€1,000,000.00 which was first in the 2nd class of the draws. You are to
receive €1,000,000.00 (One Million Euros).Because of mix up in cash
pay-outs, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until
your money (€1,000,000.00) has been fully remitted to you by our accredited
pay-point bank. This measure must be adhere to avoid loss of your cash
prize - winners of our cash prizes are advised to adhere to these
instructions to forestall the abuse of this program by other participants.
It's important to note that this draws were conducted formally, and winners
are selected through an internet ballot system from 60,000 individual and
companies e-mail addresses - the draws
are conducted around the world through our internet based ballot system. The
promotion is sponsored and promoted by South Australia lotteries.

We congratulate you once again. We hope you will use part of it in our next
draws; the jackpot winning is €85million.
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 20 days. After this
date all unclaimed cash prize will be forfeited and included in the next
sweepstake.
Please, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications remember to
quote personal and winning numbers in all correspondence with us.

Congratulations once again from all members of South Australia Lotteries.
Thank you for being part of our promotional program.

For immediate release of your cash prize to you,
please kindly contact our Paying Bank ( Vinsco Finance Bank,
Amsterdam the Netherlands.)
Send them the followings, without the followings your winning will not be
transfer to you.
(i). Your names, (ii) Contact telephone and fax numbers (iii) Contact
Address (IV) your winning numbers (v) Quote amount won.

VINSCO FINANCE AMSTERDAM
TEL+31 619 044 936
EMAIL: info_vinscofinance@yahoo.co.uk
CONTACT PERSON: JAMES GOODMAN

Congratulations once again.

Yours in service,
Susan Console

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam