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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million us 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.
  • +27721135798 (South Africa, 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.
  • allssecco@webmail.co.za
  • claims206@webmail.co.za
  • vhall@exclusivemail.co.za

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Van Hall" <vhall@exclusivemail.co.za> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 11:56:40 -0800
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!

SA2010/CRESTERWINNERS.ORG
220 BLAIR ROAD, PINETOWN,
DURBAN, KWAZULU NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA

CONGRATULATIONS!

FROM: Mrs.Van Hall
Lottery Coordinator.
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,

ATTENTION:WINNER
REF: ZAR/28407677/2006
BATCH: 11/596809/KC/MFP

RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION; FINAL NOTICE


Sir/Madam

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the friday 21 Feb. 2006. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 356-00098-3211-222 with serial number 818-09 drew lucky numbers 14-41-25-19-49-37 which consequently won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of ZAR 6,000,000.00(ONE Million US dollars)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

To file for your claim, please contact our/your fiducial agent

Rosemary Jeffers
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
ALLSTER SECURITY COMPANY
TEL: +27-72-1135-798
EMAIL:allssecco@webmail.co.za,claims206@webmail.co.za

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 07 March 2006. After this date all unclaimed,funds will be included in the next stake. 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.

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information very confidential till your claims has been processed and your prize/money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.

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. prove of birth required


Sincerely yours,

Mrs.Van Hall
Lottery Coordinator.
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
vhall@exclusivemail.co.za

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam