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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.
  • primeafricapaymentcentre@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "francis seth" <francisseth@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 00:50:23 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

 

 

Customer Service
12 Bridge Street,
Staines Middlesex TW18 4TP
United Kingdom.
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

 

                                         WINNING NOTIFICATION:

 

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement on the 2nd of October
2005 of winners of the International Prime Lottery were our winners
were listed. You / your company, attached to ticket number 041423313541 24,with serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers 37-13-34-85-56-42, and consequently won in category C (third category).

 

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of US$1,000,000
in cash credited to file REF NO. REF: PLI/4080318306/04. This is from
total prize money of US$10,000,000.00 shared among the ten(10)
international winners in the category C.

 

All participants were selected through
a computer ballot system drawn from 30,000 names from Australia, New
Zealand, South America, Asia, Europe, and North America as part our
International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

Your fund is now deposited with a Finance and Security House and
insured in your name. 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. We hope with
a part of you prize.

 

To file for your claim, please contact our AFRICA PAYMENT CENTRE:
MR.ALEX BANKS
Email:primeafricapaymentcentre@yahoo.co.uk

Provide him with the information below:

 

Verification particulars
1.Name:
2.Address:
3.Marital Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age:
6.Sex:
7.Nationality:
8.Country Of Residence:
9.Telephone Number:
10.Fax Number:
11.Draw Number above:

12.Annual Income:
E-MAIL:

 

INDICATE PREFERRED MODE OF PRIZE COLLECTION:
(A) VIA WIRE TRANSFER
(B)VIA COURIER.

 

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 2 weeks after this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.All correspondences to ALEX BANKS, by email, should have this email sent along with it and also, your email address to which this email is sent, should be clearly and boldly written in your response.

 

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your re! ference 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.

 

Note: Anybody under the age of 18! is automatically disqualified

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotions program.

 

Yours Sincerely,
Francis Seth,

The Director Promotions,
Prime Lottery International.

 

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam