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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:
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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.

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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.
  • +31611455906 (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.
  • bingolotto07@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "bingo lotto" <bingolotto6@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 19:33:09 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

BINGO LOTTO,THE NETHERLANDS
FROM:THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT,
BINGO LOTTO INTERNATIONAL/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.

REFERENCE NUMBER:HFR/OO117/CRZ
BATCH NUMBER:PR/33I12/997JH

ATTENTION.

Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the winners of the BINGO LOTTO
programs held October 17,
2005.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number
011-9085555-326 with serial number 22-33-22 drew lucky
numbers 4-82-12-69-44 which consequently won in the
category A.You have, therefore, been approved for a lump sum pay of US
€1,000,000.00(one million euros)in cash credited to file
Ref.number:HFR/00117/CRZ.This is from a total cash prize of US
€10,000,000.00 international winners inthis category.
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 400,000 companies and 300,000,000 individual email addresses
and names from all over the world.This promotional programme takes place
every year globally.This lottery was promoted and sponsored by the president
of the world largest softwares to increase the awareness of microsoft
software packages.We hope with part of your winning you will take part in
our next €40 million international lottery.

To file for your claim please contact our DR. MORGAN PHILLIPS, Foreign
Operations Manager with a
photocopy of your ID for age verification,telephone and fax numbers.
Working hours:8.00 am to 18.00 gmt monday to friday
TEL:+31-611-455-906,FAX:+31-847-273-124
Email:bingolotto07@netscape.net

Remember all winning must be claimed not later than October 31, 2005.After
this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.Please note
in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to
quote your reference and batch numbers in all
correspondence.Furthermore,should there be any change of address do inform
our agent as soon as possible.Congratulations once more, and thank you for
being part of our promotional program.
N.B:Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically
disqualified.

Sincerely yours,

Johan Van Erst,
BINGO LOTTO NL

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam