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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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.

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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claim 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 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.
  • +31620045774 (Netherlands, 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.
  • equitylotto@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "van walker" <equitytrust4@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 18:17:35 +0200
Subject: BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION

EQUITY TRUST LOTTERY AGENCY
P O Box 0603
Amsterdam, 01NL
THE NETHERLAND

Ref: NL/9920X2/88
Batch: 444/061/ZY345

FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:

BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to notify you the draw of the NL EQUITY TRUST LOTTERY,
Online Sweepstakes International Lottery Program held on 3rd Aug, 2006.
Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a
pool of over 25,000 names of distinguished professionals drawn from Europe,
America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, parts of Africa, and
North & South America as part of our international promotions programme
conducted twice in a week to encourage prospective overseas entries. The
internet emailing idea was used, since most people are not able to purchase
tickets and play outside the NL. We hope with part of your prize awards, you
will take part in our subsequent lottery jackpots.

The result of our computer draw (#0606) selected your name and email address
attached to e-ticket number: 44345612545 007 with Serial number 5368/03 drew
the lucky numbers: 05-06-07-18-28-40(Bonus Ball 12) which subsequently won
you the lottery in the 1st category . You are therefore been approved to
claim a total sum of 963,392 (Nine Hundred And Sixty Three Thousand, Three
Hundred And Ninety Two Euros) in cash credited to file
CCD/9023118308/07.This is from a total cash prize of 4,580,352 (Four
Million, Five Hundred And Eighty Thousand, Three Hundred And Fifty Two
Euros) shared amongst 6 lucky winners in this category i.e

Your prize award has been insured in your email and is ready for claims. To
begin your claims, you are advised to expeditiously contact our licensed and
accredited claim agent for Overseas Lottery Winners for the processing of
your winning and remittance to your designated bank account after all
statutory obligations have been satisfactorily dispensed with.

This promotion takes place weekly. Please note that your lucky winning
number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as
indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your 963,392 (Nine Hundred
And Sixty Three Thousand, Three Hundred And Ninety Two Euros) will be
released to you by our fiduciary agent in NL . Please be informed that
claims not processed within the stipulated period may be forfeited to the
pool without further notice.

Our payment unit will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your funds as soon as you contact him. You may wish to establish
contact via e-mail with the particulars presented below sending the batch
and reference numbers and these informations below for quick verifications
and release of funds between the hours of 8.00am - 7.30pm on Monday through
Sunday.

Overseas Claims/Netherlands Payment Unit
Contact Person: Mr.Derick Smith
Email: equitylotto@netscape.net
Phone:+31-620-045-774 Fax:31-847-564-313

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and
press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so
desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of
confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems
associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure
to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Any lottery
double claim dedected by our monitoring committee will lead to the NL
National lottery cacelling the winnings. making a loss for both the real
winner, and the fake (intended) claimer.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
At your disposal, I remain.
Very Truly Yours,
Sir Van Walker.
Lottery Co-ordinator.
P O Box0603
Amsterdam, 01NL
THE NETHERLAND

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam