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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:
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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")
  • "claims 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.
  • +34656898475 (Spain, 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.
  • j_lopez200@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Lynn Denise Eccles" <lynne2@excite.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2006 18:47:31 +0200
Subject: Aviso!!

GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS. WINNING NOTICE FOR CATEGORY "A" WINNER

Dear Winner,

We are happy to inform you that you have emerged a winner of one 615,810.00 € ( SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS ONLY).
NOTE: to file for your claim, please contact the fiduciary agent.
Find below your Reference and Batch numbers. Remember to quote these numbers in your correspondence with your claims agent.

PROMOTION DATE: 7th of September 2006.
Ref Number: PC 390 ES 214
Batch Number: 26371545-LNI/2005
Ticket Number: PCP 002 871

***********************************************
Mr.Javier Lopez,
Address: PLAZA DE COLON 137/, E-28830,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/ PRIZE AWARD DEPT. MADRID, SPAIN
Tel. : +34-656-898-475
Email :j_lopez200@yahoo.es

**********************************************
Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

The SPANISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTO awards is proudly sponsored by the Microsoft Corporation,the Intel Group,Toshiba, Dell computers, Mckintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies.The SPANISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTO internet draw is held once in a year and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide.We are proud to say that over 200 Million Euros are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.

Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Lynn Denise Eccles.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam