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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:

• 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.
  • +27782350542 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "cliff zuma" <cliffzuma@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 08 May 2006 10:40:20 +0200
Subject: FROM : MR. CLIFF ZUMA ( How To Claim Your Prize )

Attn: Marta Craven ,

*This Office acknowledges your mail.With every due respect, we bring to your
notice the procedures in which you should abide to in order for your Won
Prize to be processed in accordance to the prescribed Laws, Regulations And
Policies of the Lottery Commission/Board.

*You are expected to choose from our options which you feel will suite as
regards the process of facilitating your Won Claim Prize.


* Firstly, You are requested to come down to South Africa personally to
process your claim prize as there are certain documentation which needs to
be procured from the South African Justice Department as well as the South
African Revenue Services in your name as the Bonafide Winner of this
lottery.

*These documents are very important and inevitable to the success and
release of your Won prize. You shall make signatories of these documents in
question before presenting them to the South African Gaming Commission/Board
for the authorization and confirmation of the release of your Won Prize
respectfully.

* Secondly, If you are "unable" to come down to South Africa to process your
claim personally, we shall assign a very reputable Legal Representative whom
shall act and represent you on your behalf to facilitate all the needful
regarding your claim prize to your best interest and benefit.


*The Legal Representative shall be the right person that will acquire the
required documents from the necessary authorities that shall be presented to
the South African Gaming Commission/Board in your favour.


Without these documents, there shall be no way your claim prize shall be
processed hence we beleive that you shall confirm to us in your response to
this mail the option you wish to abide to so that we can furnish you with
further details/information for the proceed of this matter in question.


* We hope to receive a quick response from you as time is of essence to this
regards, Bye for now and have a wonderful day.


*Kindly understand that we are expecting your call as soon as you
acknowledge this mail as it is deemed important.


Yours truly,


Mr. Cliff Zuma,
+27-78-235-0542.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam