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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • germanlotto@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: AWARD PROGRAM <germanlotto@aim.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 01:47:35 +0200
Subject: AWARD PROGRAM GERMAN

AWARD PROGRAM GERMAN INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
WINNING NOTIFICATION FOR CATEGORY "B" WINNER

Dear Lucky Winner,

After a successful completion of the second category draws of GERMAN LOTTERY,
International Promotion, You have emerged one of the winners of the, GERMAN
LOTTERY, which is
part of our promotional draws. Participants were selected through a computer
ballot system
drawn from 30,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from America,
Africa, Asia, Australia,
Canada, Europe, Middle East, and New Zealand, as part of our International
Promotions Program.

As a category B winner, you have been picked by a computer balloting system,
where only email addresses are selected, from a total numbers of 30,000 email
addresses, drawn
from all over the globe. After an automated computer ballot of our International
Promotions Program
consequently won in the second Category.

-----------------------------------------------------------
You email address was attached to.
Ref Number: PC 3690/ES 414
Batch Number: 081545-LNG/2005
Ticket Number: PCP 3502 0707
Security File Number: 1132
-----------------------------------------------------------
You as well as the other winner are therefore to receive a cash prize of
2,000,000.00.euros (TWO MILLION EURO ONLY) each from the total payout.
Your prize award has been insured with your e-mail address and will be
transferred to you upon meeting our requirements, statutory obligations,
verifications, validations and
satisfactory report.

To file in for the processing of your prize winnings, you are advised to contact

our Licensed and Accredited Claims Agent for category "B" winners with the
information below, in
the Netherlands.

Mr. Mark Harrison,
Remittance Department Director,
International Accredited Licensed Lottery Promoters,
Venderloop 1902 AB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Tel: +31 -652-066-584
E-mail: germanlotto@aim.com


Provide him with the following details, as this will enable him to start the
processing of your claim.

Name:
Tel Number:
Nationality:
Ref Number:
Batch Number:
Ticket/Lucky Number:
Security File Number

NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than 20 days of notice, thereafter
unclaimed funds would be included in the next stake. Remember to quote your
reference information in
all correspondence.

You are to keep all lotto information confidential, especially your reference
and ticket numbers.
(This is important as a case of double claims will not be entertained). Members

of the affiliate agencies are automatically not allowed to participate in this
program.

Thank you and congratulations.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs. Mercy Williams
Games/Lottery Coordinator.
International German Lottery

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam