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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.
• 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.
  • +27730481885 (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.
  • claimagent44@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Adrain Thomas" <claimagent44@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:04:44 +0200
Subject: CLAIM

Dear Winner,

We acknowledge the receipt of your mail. Please be informed that your
application for claim of lottery winning prize will be duly processed and
settlements be made upon certification and verification of your details.

On confirmation that the form has been sent to claimagent44@hotmail.com
(or)claimagent11@702mail.co.za, you are advised to give me a call on +27 73
048 1885 to alert me immediately so that I can go ahead with the
verification exercise as quick as possible if not, processing of your
winnings might be delayed.

THIS FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE WINNER OF THIS LOTTO DRAW FUNDS FOR
VERIFICATION BEFORE TRANSFER.

Accept our
congratulations.



CLAIM FORM

FIRST NAME:
......................................................................................................................

LAST NAME:
.......................................................................................................................

REFERENCE NUMBER:
...........................................................................................................

BATCH NUMBER:
.................................................................................................................

CONTACT ADDRESS:
...........................................................................................................

EMAIL ADDRESS:
................................................................................................................

DATE AND PLACE OF
BIRTH:...............................................................................................................................

TEL NO: ................. FAX NO:
..............................................................................................

NAME OF
EMPLOYER:..........................................................................................................................

OCCUPATION:
.....................................................................................................................

NEXT OF KIN:
......................................................................................................................

ADDRESS OF NEXT OF KIN:
..........................................................................................................................................

DATE:
................................................................................................................................

Best Regards,
Mr. Adrian Thomas

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam