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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.

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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +447031843824 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • mssuper_financedept@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "MSSUPER MEGA JACKPOT" <mssuper_212@msn.com>
Reply-To: mssuper_jackpot@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 16:53:02 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION(meet your claims agent)

MS WORD SUPER MEGA JACKPOT
LOTTERY.PAYMENT CENTER UK
PROCESSING OFFICER:MR.BROWN LEE.
61-70 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury,
London, United Kingdom, WC1B 4AR
DIRECTOR: MR. GABRIEL MARTINS
PHONE #:+44 703 1843 824

DETAILS OF BENEFICIARY

ATTN:
This correspondence officially confirms that we are in receipt of
instructions relating to the payment of your lottery winnings of
GBP5.5,million pounds,(10,464,064.05 USD) MICROSOFT WORD MEGA JACKPOT PROMO
is a way of showing appreciation to satisfy the cravings of the ever-growing
number of in use of our MS WORD. After randomly selecting 15,000
participants from an initial database of 300,000 emails and zoning all
participants by their respective continents from across the globe, we
produced an extensive list from which you have emerged as one of the winners
of the Promotional Grand Draw prize. Please complete the form below with
correct information and email back to us with a return email.Looking forward
to your urgent reply.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Brown Lee
To file for your claims contact your claims agent with email
Email;mssuper_financedept@yahoo.co.uk
THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE BENEFICIARY OF THE STATED FUND, FOR
VERIFICATION BEFORE TRANSFER.
BENEFICIARY FIRST NAME
BENEFICIARY LAST NAME
RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH
TEL. NUMBER
FAX NUMBER
EMAIL ADDRESS
NEXT OF KIN NAME AND ADDRESS
AMOUNT WON
BATCH NUMBER
REFERENCE Nº
OCCUPATION
MARITAL STATUS
DECLARATION:
I...............................................................HEREBY
DECLARE THAT THE ABOVE DATA ARE TRUE. IN CASE OF ANY UNFORSEEN CIRCUSTANCE,
MY NEXT OF KIN HAS THE RIGHT TO CLAIM MY TOTAL WINNINGS.(SUPER STANDARD
AGENT) SHALL ACT AS MY AGENT IN FACILITATING THE TRANSFER OF THE TOTAL FUND
TO ME.
DATE........................
(YOUR FULL NAMES).....................................................
.................................................................................................
This email and its attachments are confidential and intended for the
exclusive use of the addressee(s).This email and its attachments may also be
privileged or protected by legal rules. If you have received this by mistake
please let us know by reply immediately and destroy the mail and its
attachments without reading, copying or forwarding the contents.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam