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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:

• 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:
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +31620779785 (Netherlands, 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.
  • financetrustagency@indiatimes.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "thomas vanissa" <dayzers00332@sympatico.ca>
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 17:41:24 +0000
Subject: ACCULOTTO E-MAIL LOTTERY

ACCULOTTO E-MAIL LOTTERY
FROM:THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REF:PL2/209318/09
BATCH:18/103/HME.
Attn:Dear Sir/Madam
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the International
Lottery program held on the 1st of January 2006. Your e-mail address
attached to ticket number 37511465899-6410 with serial number 4872-510
drewlucky numbers 7-14-88-23-3545 which consequently won in the 1st
category,you have therefore $2,500,000.00 {Two million five hundred
dollars)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
claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.How did
i win this e-mail lottery? Good question!!! All participants were selected
through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 company and
30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.
This promotional program takes place every three year. This lottery was
promoted and sponsored by Bill Gates, President of the World Largest
software,We hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next
USD 50 million international lottery. To file for your claims, please
contact our fiducial agent on phone.
==================================
DR.DAVE HANCOCK
FINANCE TRUST AGENCY
TEL: 0031-620779785.
FAX: 0031-847455963.
E-Mail:financetrustagency@indiatimes.com
==================================
Remember, all winning must be claimed
not later than 4th April 2006. After this date all unclaimed funds will be
included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays
and complications also 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. To enable you file your
winning prize, you are advised to fully comply with our co-respondent agency
office. 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 yours,
Mrs. Lucia dayzers Lottery
Coordinator,
California,
U.S.A.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam