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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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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "transfer of your funds" (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 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.
  • +31643600375 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Pee Software Inc <incpee@aim.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2006 11:16:53 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATION-WINNING NOTIFICATION

CONGRATULATION-WINNING NOTIFICATION
PEE SOFTWARE INC.
SWEEPSTAKES DIVISION.
4 NEW ELLAND PARK

Dear Winner,
Congratulations!
With utmost joy, we are pleased to inform you of the result of the
Pee Software Inc. held on the 21 july 2006
which drew a cash prize of $500,000.00. Your e-mail address attached to
Ticket/Code number 0087411652337 with claim/reference number
085093785/92 drew these lucky numbers 007-49746-041-764-64-2091, which
consequently won in the 1st category. You have been approved to receive a cash
prize of $500,000.00 (Five hundred thousand USD).
Be advised that due to incessant mix up in cash prize transfer to previous
winners, we advise that you keep your winning information confidential until
your claim has been processed and released to you. This security measure is
critical; its a measure put in place to avoid double claims, transfer and
unwarranted abuse of this program by other participants.
METHOD OF SELECTING WINNERS:
participants were selected anonymously through a private ballot system (computer
ballot) from over 35,000 companies and 70,000 individual e-mail addresses all
over the world. At the final draw your e-mail address emerged as the winner of
our last jackpot.
This is promotional program takes place bi-annually, and it is promoted and
sponsored by Winning.com. It is met to reward
some individuals and corporations who have devoted their time and resources
surfing the world wide web (www) with their email addresses.
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 5 working days from today.
After the expiration of that time frame, if your funds are unclaimed, it will be
refunded to us and included in our next draws.

Lastly, in order to avoid unnecessary delays/complications with the transfer of
your funds to you, please always remember to quote your Code number in all
correspondence with our paying bank (Deutsche Bank-Amsterdam). Furthermore,
should there be any change of your present address, please notify us immediately
so to make the appropriate adjustment.
Congratulations from the management and staffs of Pee Software & Winning.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Kindly, immediately, contact our Paying Bank (Deutsche Bank-Amsterdam) for your payment advice.
Send them following e-mail:
I ..................................
with e-mail address:...............
contact address:....................
Ticket and code number:................,..........................
the winner of the Pee Software & Winning.com lottery promotion
cash prize of $500,000.00. Kindly advise me with details of the process of the
transfer of my cash prize within the next 5-working days.
Contact details of our Paying Bank:

Contact person: Artur Singer
Department of Private Banking,
Deutsche Bank, .
E-mail: clientservices@o2.pl
Tel: +31-643-600-375
Fax: +31-847-182-265
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam