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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +27839851150 (South Africa, 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.
  • kkosa0@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Sandra Wales" <sweepstake111@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 11:19:22 +0200
Subject: DEAR WINNER

FROM THE DESK OF SANDRA WALES RESULTS DEPARTMENT,
SWEEPSTAKES ONLINE LOTTERY DEPARTMENT.
#24 Lyndhurst Road, HIGHLAND NORTH, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.


REFERENCE NUMBER: 2006234522
PIN: 6520


Dear Sir/Madam

YOU ARE A WINNER

Following the results of our annual Lottery draws concluded on the 22nd of
May 2006, we are pleased to inform you, that your e-mail address attached to
ticket number 27522465896-532 with serial number 652-662 drew lucky numbers
7-14-18-23-31-45 which consequently won in the final category.

You are one of the winners and therefore have been approved for a lump sum
pay out of $845,000.00 US (Eight Hundred and Forty Five Thousand
Dollars).


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 many corporate organizations.


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 as we shall not be held
responsible for any false claim.


You are requested to contact your payment officer,


Name: MR.MICHAEL UDU

Email: kkosa0@myway.com

Tel.Phone: +27-83-985-1150


Call Him as soon as you receive this notification so that he can tell
you
how to receive your winnings and subsequent payments.

All winnings must be claimed not later than 14 days from the date of
this
notice.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, remember
to
quote your reference number and PIN in all correspondence.

Furthermore, should there be any change of address do not fail to
inform our
agent.

Congratulations once more!

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Sandra Wales
(Results Department)
SWEEPSTAKES ONLINE LOTTERY DEPARTMENT.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam