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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "million united states dollars" (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!
• 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.
  • +447040106674 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448701349727 (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.
  • wjlpagent@emailaccount.com

Fraud email example:

From: "WINNERS JUMBO LOTTERY PROMO" <wjlpromo2054@msn.com>
Reply-To: wjlpagent@emailaccount.com
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 21:07:39 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!

Winners Jumbo Lottery Promo
9 Chaucer House
Churchill
London, SW1V 3DW
United Kingdom.
16 Mwangala Street
Covent Garden
Johannesburg
South Africa
Ref: win/oct102/05
Batch:05/10/wa34

WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!


We happily announce to you the draw of the Winners Lottery Promo
International programs held on the 1st of Decembver 2005 in South Africa
Your email address attached to ticket number :0843 with serial number
:7654/99 drew the lucky number 3-1-174, which subsequently won you
thelottery in the first category.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of $2,000,000.00 (Two
million United States Dollars) in cash credited to file wlp/23456/05. This
is from a total cash prize of US$ 60,000,000 Million Dollars,shared amongst
the first thirty (30 lucky winners in this category.

In view of this,your US$ 2,000,000.00 (Two million, United States Dollars )
would be released to you by our redemption centers in Africa and Europe.Our
agents will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of
your funds as soon as you contact him /her.

All participants were selected randomly from World wide Website through
computer ballot system extracted from over 1,000,000 companies and
individuals.This promotion takes place annually.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in
whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.

This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and
unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be
warned.

To file your claims, please contact our agent:

Mr.Robert Coates

Universal Trust Inc.

Email:wjlpagent@emailaccount.com

Tel: +44-704-010-6674
Fax: +44-870-134-9727

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 20days of receiving
this notification. After this date all unclaimed, funds will be included in
the next stake.

To avoid unnecessary delay and complications, Please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated
agent.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being
part of our promotional program.

Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Sincerely,

Mrs Sarah Brown,
Public Relations Officer
Winners Jumbo Lottery Promo


N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to
disqualification.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam