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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "into your nominated bank account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "lotto 2005-2006" <lotto256@msn.com>
Reply-To: dhenry@edumail.co.za
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 10:37:33 +0000
Subject: CONGRTULATIONS!!!

FURTUNE LOTTERY
412 GARRATT Lane,
LONDON,
SW18 4HW

Dear Winner,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
We are officially informing you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on the 14th of September 2005 as part of
our promotional programs for the year 2005. Your e-mail address attached to
ticket number 77007742781005-18721 with reference number 414-3721060 drew
winning numbers 7-00-71-00-66-49 and credited to batch number 121cfc, which
consequently won in the 3rd category via our electronic ticket as stated
above. You have therefore been approved for a pay out of £1,800,000.00 (One
Million Eight Hundred Thousand Pounds).
Total funds have now been deposited and insured with our affiliate
security firm for transfer into your nominated bank account either by
means of wire transfers through any of our correspondent banks or any
other means suitable to you. We also advice that you keep your winning
information very confidential as our security policy demands to avoid
double claims/impersonation and unwarranted abuse of this program by
some
individuals.
All participants were selected through a random computer ballot system
drawn from over 800,000 company and 1,000,000 individual email
addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program
takes place annually and we hope with part of your winning you will
take part in our next year £20 Million Pounds International Lottery. To file
for your claim, you will be contacting our accounts department authorized
to verify and process your claims for your total payment (You will receive
more information upon your acknowledgment of this email).
This lottery is promoted and sponsored by software corporations and
other private organizations to help individuals generate fortunes
which would encourage them to expand their business frontiers thereby
creating more opportunities and assisting with humanitarian concerns
within their immediate environment. Please Note that winnings must be
claimed not later than 30th January of 2006. After this date all unclaimed
funds will be included in our subsequent program.
In order to avoid complications always quote your reference number in
all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform us as soon as
possible.
Congratulations from our organization and thank you for
being part of our promotional program.
N.B: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified from
this program.
Sincerely yours,
Mr.David Henry
Programs & Events coordinato

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam