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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:
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs.Anna-maria Jose <lotto17promo@netscape.net>
Reply-To: lotto17promo0@walla.com
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:27:49 +0100
Subject: Congratulation


FROM: FROM: UNIVERSAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/ PRIZE AWARD
DEPARTMENT.
MADRID SPAIN
Ref. Number: ELP/102/633/0905
Batch Number: 027/310-AK14
ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION / PROCESSING ADVICE: ELP
Dear winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on the 19 of Jan, 2006. Your e-mail address
attached to ticket number 1942896-9032 with serial number A001490 drew
lucky numbers 11-0-17-31-60- 75-9 which consequently won in the 1st
category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
1,500,000.00 Euros (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Euros)
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.
You will need to have your identification documents and claims form
notarized by the fiduciary agent (below) before a magistrate or notary
public in The Spain.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from over 10,000,000 companies and 30,000,000 individual email addresses
and names from all over the world, names from Australia, New Zealand,
America, Europe, North America, Middle East, Africa and Asia as part of
International Promotions Program. This promotional program takes place
once a year.
This lottery is promoted by the software and internet giant
corporations to compensate some few individuals with website and email addresses,
we hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year
EUR10 million international lottery. Please note that your lucky
winning numbers falls within our European booklet representative office in
Europe as indicated in your play coupon to file in for your claims,
please contact the company processing officer.
Mr. Andy Roy
Claims processing manager
EUROPW LOTTO PLUS
lotto17promo0@walla.com
www.europw.com
Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and Complications
please 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 for being part of our promotional program.
Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Anna-maria Jose
Lottery Coordinator
EuroPW Lotto Sweepstake

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam