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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • taylor_claimsagent@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: victory_lotto2006@zipmail.com.br
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 23:00:37 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?CONGRATULATIONS=21?=

ATTENTION:

RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION; FINAL NOTICE We are pleased to inform you of the
announcement today,3th Apri, 2006 of winners of the VICTORY ROMO LOTTERY,THE
SPAIN/ INTERNATIONAL, PROGRAMS held on 30th march,2006.Your email address,is
attached to ticket number 234-808-457-2269 ,withserial number 5073-11 drewthe
lucky numbers 43-11-44-37-10-43, and consequently won the lotteryin the
3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of US$5,500.000.00 in
cash credited to file REF NO. SSW/25041238013/03. This is from total prize
money of US$80,400,000.00 shared among the seventeen international winners
in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
a collation of frequent internet users from all over the world from Australia,New
Zealand, America, Europe, North America and Asia as part of International
Promotions Program, which is conducted bia-annually.CONGRATULATIONS! Your
fund is now deposited with a Security company insured in your name.

Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this
aw ard strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed
and your money remitted to your account.This is part of our security protocol
to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.

We hope with a part of you prize, you will participate in our end of year
high stakes S$1.3 billion International Lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent; MR.TAYLOR JAMES,FOREIGN
SERVICE MANAGER, RAYMOND CROSSROAD, SPAIN, via this email address (taylor_claimsagent@yahoo.com)For
due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account
of your choice.Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than
3thth May,2006.

After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.NOTE: In order
to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote
your reference and batch numbers in every one of your orrespondences with
your agent.Furthermore, should there be any change of your
address,do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.Congratulations
again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions
program.

Sincerely,
MR.JOHN ANDERSON
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
VICTORY PROMO LOTTERY,THE
SPAIN.

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of any of our winners will
result to isqualification.SORRY FOR THE LATE INFORMATION THANKS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam