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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:
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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:
  • "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 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.
  • ton@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard Hallet" <vodafone02@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:38:19 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

VODAFONE PROMOTIONS
FAZANSTRAAT C76, 3084 SX AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
 
REF: VFP /26510460037/02
BATCH: 24/00319/IPD

                                     WINNING NOTIFICATION
 
We happily announce to you TODAY the draw of the VODAFONE PROMOTIONS, online Sweepstakes program held on Wednesday 4th of January 2006.
 
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 023-0148-790-459 with Serial number 5073-11 drew the lucky numbers: 43-11-44-17-37-10-43, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 3rd category.
 
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$ 2.300,000.00  (two million, three hundred thousand dollars) in cash credited to file VFP  /26510460037/02. This is from a total cash prize of  $39.100,000.00 shared amongst 17 lucky winners in this category.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in The Netherlands. In view of this, your US$ 2.300,000.00  (two million, three hundred thousand dollars) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in The Netherlands.

You are expected to contact our Fiduciary agent below for the release of your won prize:
 
Mrs. Helena Littleton     helena1_ton@yahoo.co.uk  
 
CLAIMS MANAGER,
VODAFONE PAYMENT DEPARTMENT

Our Fiduciary agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact her. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential and strictly out of public notice till your claims are processed and your money remitted to you.
 
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online.
 
Remember that all prize money must be claimed not later than two weeks, otherwise, will be returned as unclaimed.
 
Congratulations,
 
Thank you for your co-operation.
 
Best Regards,
 
Richard Hallet

Online coordinator for VODAFONE PROMOTIONS
Sweepstakes International Program.
Copyright © 2006
All rights reserved. Terms of Service

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam