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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:
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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 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.
  • +31651465968 (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.
  • bentleydwilliams@netscape.net
  • ciscoglobalworld@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs.Sandra Erickson <CiscoGLBWld@netscape.net>
Reply-To: CiscoGlobalWorld@netscape.net
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:50:41 +0200
Subject: CONGRTATULATION: AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION LETTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


CISCO GLOBAL-WORLD NETWORK NV..
INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTION
PRIZE AWARD.
HAARLERBERGWEG 16-17
1628 BN AMSTERDAM
REF: CN/4880124/03 BATCH: 10/34582ILPPA/CNIL

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 15th October 2005.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 315482-31254 with serial number 215424-21
drew lucky numbers 21-75-33-21-01 which consequently won in the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$ 500,000.00(Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 company and 30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every year.
This lottery was promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities like Mr. Bill Gates and the sultan of Brunei, we hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year USD50 million International Promotion lottery. To file for your claim, please contact our fiducially Agent:
Dr. Bentley Don Williams, (BentleyDWilliams@netscape.net)
Foreign Operations Director,
TEL: 0031-651-46-59-68
FAX: 0031-8-47-53-9-200
email: CiscoGlobalWorld@netscape.net
Remember all winning must be claimed not later than 05th November 2005.
after this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications endeavor to quote your reference and batch numbers in
all first correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do
inform our agent as soon as possible. We hope with part of your winning you will take part
in our next year 30 million dollars international lottery.
Congratulations!!!
Once more from our members of staff, we thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Note: anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Sandra Erickson,
Secretary

NB: We are very sorry for the delay!!!

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam