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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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:
  • "deadline" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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 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.
  • email.hansg200@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Rosela Marthins." <info_gt_lo@mail.win.it> (may be fake)
Reply-To: hansg200@netscape.net
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 14.46.09 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION.

SUPER ENAL LOTTO INTERNATIONAL.
REF:PL2/209318/09 BATCH:18/103/HME.
Dear Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on the 27TH MARCH 2006. Your e-mail address
attached to ticketnumber 436425795822-5022with serial number 6614102,
batch number 8561513507,lottery ref number 7675213911 and drew lucky
numbers 7-9-4-17-34-44 which consequently won in the 1st category,you
have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of (€1.ooo.ooo.oo
One Million Euro) CONGRATULATIONS!!! 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 claiming and
unwarrantedabuse of this program by some participants. All participants
were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 40,000
company and 20,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all
over the world. This promotional program takes place every year. This
lottery was promoted and sponsored by Microsoft the World
Largest software marker, Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet
companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains
the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an
Emaillotto. To file for your claim, please contact our fiducial agent:
==============================================================
Mr. Gideon Hans
ATLAS FINANCIAL SERVICES
EMAIL.hansg200@netscape.net
=============================6=================================
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 20th 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
please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all
correspondence. Furthermore, should there be anychange of address do
inform our agent as soon as possible. Congratulations once more from our
members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional
program. Note: Anybody that is unable to meet up with his/her claim
before the stipulated deadline will be automatically disqualified.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs Rosela marthins.
Lottery Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam