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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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• 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)
  • "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.
  • cashoutlottobv1@i12.com

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Van Morgan <cashoutlottobv1@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2005 13:25:59 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION ( CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WINNINGS)

CASHOUT LOTTO BV
CASHOUT PLAZA, SUITE 1102A
AMSTERDAM ZUID-OOST
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
Ref: OYL/34536380986/78/05
Batch: 05/763638/IPD

Dear Sir/Madam,

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw of the CASHOUT LOTTO Sweepstake
Lottery International programs held on the Thursday 27th oF October,2005 IN THE NETHERLANDS.
This is computer generated lotto's of internet users using email addresses as draws.

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 275-189-657-23-05 with Serial number 8756-05 drew the
lucky numbers: 5 12 45 57 87 90, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$850,000.00 Eight hundred and fifty
Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file OYL/34536380986/78/05.This is from a total
cash prize of US $ 8,500,000 Million dollars, shared amongst the first Ten (10)lucky winners in this
category.

All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site
through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies.This promotion takes place
annually.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European
booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play
coupon.

In view of this, your US$850,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars) would be
released to you by our payment office in Europe.

Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as
soon as you contact him.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is
processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.

This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this
program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned.

To file for your claim on time, please contact your claims agent:

MR PHILLIP COLE
EMAIL: cashoutlottobv1@i12.com
TELEFAX: +31-205-241-255.
to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our
designated agent.

Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program
and the European Union.

Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery Program.

Sincerely,

MR.VAN MORGAN
CASH-OUT LOTTO B.V Co-coordinator

NOTE:PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS OFFICE, MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT YOUR
CLAIMS AGENT ABOVE, ALSO MAKE SURE YOU SEND DOWN YOUR PHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS TO YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam