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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")
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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 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.
  • ppw23401@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ppwilliam@terra.es" <ppwilliam@terra.es>
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:44:57 +0200 (MEST)
Subject: from Mrs. john water


Dear Winner,

FROM: THE PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
WORLDWIDE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT LOTTO ORGANIZATION
PROGRAMME.

Congratulations to you as we bring to your notice the result. We are happy to inform you that you have emerged a winner of US$ 2,500,000,.00 (Two million five hundred thousand United States Dollars 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.

Draw Serial No: 35/751346
Winners Certficate No:E021453
Batch No: 06-A852
***********************************************
To ensure a smooth collection of your winnings, the transfer of your prize is to be handled by our paying agents in overseas and also in Africa here. You are to contact the officer in charge of this programme

Mr.Johny Smith
Payment Officer
Email :ppw23401@yahoo.com
**********************************************
Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

Sincerely,
Mrs. john water
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT LOTTO ORGANIZATION PROGRAMME






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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam