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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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• 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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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: "Elizabeth Whitaker" <EWhitaker@xeml.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 08:30:29 +0100
Subject: for your info

Dear Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Xantini Eshire Mail
Lotto programs, held on the 9th of March 2006. Total winnings for
the Lotto was the sum of Three million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand
dollars [$3,750,000]only. Participants in Lotto were selected at random
using a private computer randomization programme involving over a
100,000 individual e-mail addresses. At the final draw your e-mail
address emerged as the winner of our last jackpot.
Your e-mail address attached to Ticket/Code number 0087411652337 with
claim/reference number 085093785/06 drew these lucky numbers
037-474-041-764-614, which consequently won in the 1st category. You
have been approved to receive a cash prize of Nine Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Dollars [$950,000]only.
Take note, that all winnings must be claimed not later than 31st of
March, 2006. Unclaimed winnings will be forfeited and included in our
next draws. We hope you will use part of your cash prize to participate
in our next draws in July 2006.
We advise due to incessant mix up in cash prize transfer to previous
winners and spurious claims, that you keep your winning information
confidential until your claim has been processed and released to you.
This is to avoid double claims, transfer and unwarranted abuse of this
program by other participants.
Lastly, in order to avoid unnecessary delays/complications with the
transfer of your funds to you, please always remember to quote your Code
number in all correspondence. To process your claim and secure the
release of your winnings from the Game Board, please contact:
Mr. G. Ellena,
Claims Co-ordinator,
Email: GEllena@fnbeonline.com
Tel: 44-87-1251-8453
Fax: 44-87-1251-8455
Please note that all further correspondence on this matter should be
addressed to the said Mr. Ellena.
Congratulations from the Management and Staff of The Mail Lotto.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Elizabeth Whitaker
VP, Promotion Manager,
XEML Inc.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam