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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
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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.

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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)
  • "fiduciary 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 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.
  • +31616108145 (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.
  • euroaccrdtpaymentagency@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "microsoftsplashlotto@go.com" <microsoftsplashlotto@go.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:56:20 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Result of the Lottery Winners International program.


MICROSOFT SPLASH LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
REF Number : NLI/312-ILGI0521/04BATCH Number : ETPT/12/069/PTNLTICKET Number : 44622476865-7291SERIAL Number : 301-982204LUCKY Number : 6-55-68-55-61-9
RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 31th of October,2004. Your E-mail address attached to Ticket number 44622476865-7291 with Serial number 301-982204 drew lucky numbers 6-55-68-55-61-9 which consequently won in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars). This is from a total cash prize of US$25 Million share among Ten International Lucky Winners in the Category A ( Plus )+ .
CONGRATULATIONS!!!Be inform that your documents have to pass our Authority to obtain a clearance which shall be attached to your Document in readiness of the subsequently onward transfer into your nominated bank account within 72hours of completion of the authentication.
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information very confidential till your claims has been processed as the Beneficiary Certificate Ownership Winning Notification,Stamp duties and re-activation of Account of your prize /money remitted in readiness of the subsequently onward transfer into your nominated Bank Account.
This is in conformity with the latest transfer regulation signed by the Organization / Netherlands Government since this is part of our Security protocol measures 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 30,000 Companies and 400,000 individual email addresses from all over the world, through the aid of our insurance Company.
This promotional program takes place annually. We hope you will take part in our next year US$25 Million International lottery Program.
To file for your claim, please contact our /your fiduciary agent MR. FREDRICK DESMOND of EUROPE ACCREDITED PAYMENT AGENCY, Amsterdam The Netherlands through the underlisted contact:
Email:euroaccrdtpaymentagency@yahoo.com
Tel: +31-61 61 08145.
NOTE: That all winning must be claimed not later than 14 working days from the date of notification. After this date all unclaimed, funds will be included in the next stake.
Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.
Finally, we ensure that you note every letters as clearly stated as we would not be responsible should there be hitch in this transaction due laxity on your part. So you are to expedite action, Failure to do this we shall be compelled to lose your fund.
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, Kindly remember to quote your reference number 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 from our members of staff.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Caroline Edwards.Lottery Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam