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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.

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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
• 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.
  • infocontact06@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. JACK THOMAS" <prize-award-departme@myway.com>
Date: Sun, 07 May 2006 19:12:41 +0200
Subject: CONTACT THE LOTTERY CLAIM AGENT


VICE PRESIDENT
PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
UK ONLINE LOTTERY PROGRAM (EASTER BONUS)
REF. NUMBER: UK/2808893/06
BATCH NUMBER: 68/052/XXPAD
DATE: 5/05/06
RE: UK ONLINE LOTTERY PROGRAM PRIZE AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION
We are pleased to inform you of the recent result of UK ONLINE LOTTERY PROGRAM EASTER BONUS held on 16th April. 2006.Your name and your e-mail address attached ticket number 085-17878844 with serial numbers 3449-05 drew the lucky numbers 7-15-29-85-95-98 which consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.
You are therefore been approved for the lump sum payout of US$630,250,63C CENTS (SIX HUNDRED & THIRTY THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY UNITED STATES DOLLARS, SIXTY THREE CENTS) In cash credited to file number EML/2707893/05.
This is from the total cash prize of US$6.450.550.00(SIX MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY).Shared among the fourteen international winners in this category.
Your fund is now deposited with a security company insured in your name. Due to the mixed up of numbers and names in this office we ask that you keep this award from the public notice until your claims has been processed and your fund remitted to your designated account, to avoid double claim and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants, this is our security protocol.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 55,000 names from Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, United State of America,Canada,South-America and Africa, as part of our international promotion programs which we conduct once every two years. We hope that your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the subsequent programs.
To begin your lottery claim please contact your agent,Mr. Frank Hermarton (Foreign Operation Manager), through the above contact information:
Mr. Frank Hermarton
E-mail: infocontact06@aim.com
For necessary assistance as regards to your claim and final release of the prize money to your designated bank account. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 31th July 2006. After this date all fund will be returned to the UK ONLINE LOTTERY PROGRAM as unclaimed. And be informed that 10% of your lottery winning belongs to the security company. This 10% will be remitted after you have received your winning prize.
Congratulations on behalf of our managements.
MR. JACK THOMAS.
VICE PRESIDENT
PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
UK ONLINE LOTTERY PROGRAM-2006.All other right reserved.COD-EX-SA-DE GS-(LONDON-UK).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam