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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:

• 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.
  • delotto1000@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "Lotto Office" <loto_fice@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 15:24:54 +0000
Subject: A LUCKY DAY

INTERNATIONAL/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REF:PL2/209318/09
BATCH:18/103/HME.

Attention

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on this 1st of August (2005)year in Lagos,
Nigeria .Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 436425795822-5022
with serial number 6614102,batch number 8561513507,lottery ref number
7675213911 and drew lucky numbers 7-9-4-17-34-44 which consequently won in
category C, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
US$1,000,000,00(ONE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLAR) 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
40,000 company and 10,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all
over the world.

This promotional program takes place every year. This lottery was promoted
and sponsored by Association of software producers. we hope with part of
your winning,you wil l take part in our next year US$10 million
international lottery.

Remember, all winning must be claimed fast and urgent.

Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please
remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all
correspondence.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being
part of our promotional program. You can also reach us through our alternate
email address delotto1000@yahoo.fr

Note: Any form of delay will only jeopardise your winning.A Lucky day.
Please Take Note

Yours Sincerely,
Lottery Authority
A LUCKY DAY

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam