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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
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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • +31622164579 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • philipvart@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • internationalsdsfinance@virgilio.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs.Sandra Henkman <internationalsdsfinance@virgilio.it>
Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 11:06:54 +0800
Subject: Claim your prize


INTEGRATED SYSTEM DIGITAL NETWORK (ISDN) NV..
INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTION
PRIZE AWARD.
MAANPLEIN 451
2516 CK DEN HAAG
REF: ISDN7251401/41 BATCH: 63/21720101/ILPPA/ISDNIP
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 29th April 2006.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 4720154-27 with serial number 715429-10
drew lucky numbers 33-01-91-41-4 which consequently won in the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$ 500,000.00(Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
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 unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 company and 30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every year.
This lottery was promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities like Mr. Bill Gates and the sultan of Brunei, we hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year USD50 million International Promotion lottery. To file for your claim, please contact our fiducially Agent:
Phillip Van De Vart, (philipvart@netscape.net )
Foreign Operations Director,
International SDS finance
TEL: +31-622164579
FAX: +31-84-716-4563
email: internationalsdsfinance@virgilio.it
Remember all winning must be claimed not later than 20th May 2006.
after this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications endeavor to quote your reference and batch numbers in
all first correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do
inform our agent as soon as possible. We hope with part of your winning you will take part
in our next year 30 million dollars international lottery.
Congratulations!!!
Once more from our members of staff, we thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Note: anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.
Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Sandra Eastwood,
Secretary
NB: We are very sorry for the delay!!!

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam