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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:
  • "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.
  • +447031948978 (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.
  • lotto_agent10@emailaccount.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Winners Jumbo Information Center" <informationcenter4@msn.com>
Reply-To: lotto_agent10@emailaccount.com
Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 05:41:13 +0000
Subject: 02.03.06

Winners Jumbo Lottery Promo
16th Floor SABC Radio Park Building Henley
Road
Auckland Park, ZA-2006 Johannesburg.
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 23rd, of January, 2006 in
Kumasi,Ghana.Your email address attached to ticket number :/1960
with.serial number:-/5590/45 drew the lucky number 3-1-174, which
subsequently won you the lottery in the first category. You have
herefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$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 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 Freeman Davies
Universal Trust Inc.
Email:lotto_agent10@emailaccount.com
Tel:+44-703-194-8978
Fax:+44-707-502-0586

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 10days 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.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam