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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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.

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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!

Fraud email example:

From: "British International Lottery" <lbnttery@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: binlottery@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 09:29:54 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE WON

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
3b OLYMPIC WAY ,
SEFTON BUSINESS PARK,
AINTREE, LIVERPOOL, L30 1RD.

ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION


We are pleased to inform you of the announcement that you have been selected
for a cash prize of USD900.000.00 (NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS)
International lottery programs held on Friday June 9th 2006 in London. Your
e-mail address is attached to winning number 20-01-2005-02MSW, with serial
number S/N-00168 drew the lucky numbers 887-13-865-37-10-83, and
consequently won in the first lottery category.
The selection process was carried out randomlly through our computerized
email selection system(ESS) from a database of over 250,000 email addresses
of Individuals and company's drawn from all the continents of the world.

This Lottery is organised and approved by the British Gaming Board and also
Licensed by the International Association of Gaming Regulators(IAGR). This
promotional lottery is the tenth of its kind.You are to keep your winning
number 20-01-2005-02MSW, and serial number S/N-00168 from the public, until
you have been processed and your money remitted to you.

Do respond to this email as soon as possible for the processing of your
prize claim.

Accept my hearty congratulations once again!
Susan Hart
Director Gen. of promotions

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam