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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")
• 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.
  • +447903182180
• 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.
  • royainfo@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "royalaln@yahoo.uk.com" <royalalnekhp@yahoo.uk.com>
Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2006 16:08:44 -0200
Subject: ACKNOWLEDGED

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM. FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS. BRITISH GAMING/WINNING BOARD. UNITED KINGDOM. Ref: NL/25888S/W4/68 Batch: 574/57/DW739 Dear winner, RESULT OF CATEGORY "B" We are pleased to notify you of the release today as dated of the UK National Sweepstakes/International Promotions programs held on the 26th day of May 2006. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 98,000 names from Europe, America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, Africa, and North & South America as part of our international promotions program conducted annually to encourage prospective overseas entries. We hope with part of your prize awards, you will take part in our end of year £1.3 Billion International Program. The result of our computer draw of this day reveals your names attached to Ticket Number 11476886 with serial number 178 drew the lucky number 32-35-39-42-44 which consequently won the prize awards in the 2nd category. Therefore, you have been approved a lump sum prize awards winning of £3,810,000 (Three Million, Eight Hundred and Ten Pounds Only) in cash prize credited to file Ref. No: BL3/200345/07. This is from the total prize of £21,286, 320.00 (Twenty One Million, Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty Pounds) shared among the Eighteen overseas lucky winners in this category as part of our promotional program for this year 2006. Your prize award has been insured in your names and ready for claim. To begin your claims therefore, you are advised on final notice and as a matter of urgency, to contact our licensed and accredited claim agent for overseas lucky Winners for the processing of your prize awards winning and payment to your designated bank account. Agent: Mark Johnson (Mr.) Tel: +44 790 318 2180 Email:royainfo@netscape.net On a final note, you are advised to begin your claim immediately hence, all prizes awards must be claimed and disbursed within 30 days of this notification as elapse of the scheduled "End of Claim" date will authorized funds withholding for redirection as abandoned/ unclaimed without notice. Note: To enhance the processing of your claim by our accredited claim agent, you are advised to officially introduce yourself to the claim agent and also provide them with your valid means of your personal identification with a copy of this awards notification for references. Yours faithfully, Dr Neland Delnado Promotions Director.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam