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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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)

Fraud email example:

From: Grand Lottery Winner <christina.henk@virgilio.it>
Reply-To: baileyvtr@aim.com
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2006 12:45:14 +0200
Subject: RFL Ticket#:EMH/287/8993/3453


WORLD WIDE EMAIL HOSTING SERVICES LOTTERY PROMOTION
POSTBUS 2938671
ANTWOORDNUMMER 178607
4200 VB AMSTELVEEN
NETHERLANDS
Rf Ticket#:EMH/287/8993/3453
Reference#:VN/81/026/9765

Dear Winner,
We are grateful to notify you of result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 22nd May 2006.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:EMH/287/8993/3453 with Reference#:VN/81/026/9765
drew lucky numbers 91-89-13-83-5 which consequently won in the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$ 600,000.00(six 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 45,000 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 US$50 million International Promotion lottery. To file for your claim,
please contact our fiduciary Agent:
MR.Phil Pim vARTEN
Foreign Operations Director,
TEL/FAX:+31847238468
FAX:+31847241162
email:philipvart@netscape.net
Remember all winning must be claimed not later than 16th June 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.
Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Rosa Henkel
Secretary
contact our fiduciary Agent

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam