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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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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +34636721891 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • woodphil90@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: DR WOOD PHIL <apextrustsec@netscape.net>
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 20:48:58 +0100
Subject: RE: AWARD WINNING FINAL NOTIFICATION.


FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD.
BACTH NO:LMSP/82255742/33
REF NO:LMSP/7393794/33
ATTENTION:
This is to inform you of the release for the EUROMILLION LOTERIA ESPAÑOL. Held on the 28Th of OCTOBER 2005.Due to the mix of numbers, the results were released today 6th OF FEBUARY 2006.
Your name was attached to the ticket number 00788769 with serial number 0980978-0 drew lucky numbers of 1-3-19. Which consequently won the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved for the lump sum payment of 3.500.000.00 (Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Euros) in cash credited to file with REF NO:LMSP/7393794/33.
CONGRATULATION: 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 claim and unwarranted abuse of this
program by some participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from only Microsoft users from 20,000 companies, and 3,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.This
promotional program takes place every three years. To begin your lottery claim, please contact the processing company that have been appointed for the processing of your lottery winning. The person appointed to handle your processing and remittance of your prize money to an account of your choice is Dr.WOOD PHIL Director Operation Euro Credit Commission S.A Madrid Spain.
C/ Jaun Carlos;47,28100 Madrid Spain.
Telephone :+34 636 721 891
fax :+34 912 725 261
Email(woodphil90@yahoo.com
Any claim not made Two weeks from this date, will be returned as
unclaimed to the MINISTERIAL VAN DE ECONOMIA SPAIN. Note that all
unclaimed winnings will be included in the next stake. Also in order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications, remember to quote your reference and batch numbers on all your correspondence with Dr.Wood Phil
Follow all his instruction religiously.Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Yours Sincerely,
Ms Maria Lopez

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam