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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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• 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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • eurosoftwares006@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: " paycenter@myway.com" <paycenter@myway.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 13:35:36 +0300
Subject: RESULT

EUROPEAN SOFTWARE PRODUCER'S INTERNATIONAL EMAIL BALLOT LOTTERY. FROM:THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR SOFTWARE'S/PRIZE AWARD DEPT HEAD OFFICE:BEERENHOHE 20,D-21077 HAMBURG GERMANY . NOTIFICATION / FINAL NOTICE. We are please to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International program held on the 20/05/2006 to compasite the email user's in whole world. Your e-mail address attached to your email numbers 8567721/591/AB with serial number 7321410, batch number 735/36433/BE, lottery ref. number,GD6/210345/07 and drew lucky numbers 4-9-17-36-44-78 which consequently won in the 3rd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of $655.000.00(Six Hundred And Five Thousand United States dollars). CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are advised to keep this winning very confidential until you receive your lump prize in your account or optional cheque issuance to you. This is a protective measure to avoid double claiming by people you may tell as we have had cases like this before, please send your Full Name, Home and Office Tel & Fax Number, Mobile &Tel Number and your winning attached number, reference numbers and this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this programme by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 40,000 company and 20,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.This promotional program takes place every four-year. This lottery was promoted and sponsored by Association of software producers and for the information to processing your winning prize,you are advise to contacts our fiducially/registered claim agent in address below by our NETHERLANDS Office for your claiming proceedure. CONTACT PERSON:MR.DONALD WHITE ADDRESS:MIDDELWEG-WEST 176, SAINT ANNA PARROCHIE STRAAT,9077GE. FRIESLAND- NETHERLANDS. TEL:011-31-644-745-644. Fax:011-31-847-593-883 Email:eurosoftwares006@netscape.net. Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 28th of July, 2006. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.Furthermore, should there be any change of address, do inform our agent as soon as possible. Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thanks you for being part of our promotional programme. NOTE: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified. Yours Sincerely, Mrs.Silvia Amstrong Lottery Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam