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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:
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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• 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: "RONALD BENSON" <ronaldbenson65@luxmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: udokarl006@luxmail.com
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 21:07:27 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!!

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REF NO: EGS/2551256003/02
BATCH NO: 14/0017/IPD

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE,ALL WINNERSINFORMATION.

We are pleased to inform you, that as a result of our RECENT LOTTERY
DRAWS HELD on the 1st of Dec 2005.Your e-mail address attached to
ticket number:11 23 34 38 48 49 46 750 with serial number:2113 ? 05
drew lucky numbers:1315 ? 22 ? 37 39 which consequently won in the
2nd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of
US$915,850.00 (NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND
FIFTY EUROS ONLY)

Note that All participants in this lottery program have been
selected randomly through a computer ballot system drawn from over
20,000 companies and 30,000,000 individual email addresses from all
search engines and web sites.This promotional program takes place
every year,and is promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities
like the Sultan of Brunei,Bill Gates of microsoft inc and other
corporate organisations.This is to encourage the use of the internet
and computers worldwide.

For security purpose and clarity,we advise that you keep your
winning information confidential until your claims have been
processed and your money remitted to you.This is part of our
security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of
this program by some participants.We look forward to your active
participation in our next 4 million euro\'s slot. You are requested
to contact your clearance/cliam agent udo karl , Foreign Operations
Manager, LYCOS FINANCE AND SECURITY with his contact Email:(
udokarl006@luxmail.com) for processing and remittance of your prize
money to a designated account of your choice All winnings must be
claimed not later than one month After the date of this notice.
Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications,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.
Congratulations!!! once more and thank you for being part of our
promotional program.
Sincerely,
MR.RONALD BENSON
VICE PRESIDENT.
INTL LOTERIA PRIMITIVA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam