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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:
  • "million us 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.
  • msear@webmail.co.za

Fraud email example:

From: off lotto <lottooff@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 09:01:54 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS! ! !


CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
Private Bag X50, Auckland Park, 2006

Johannesburg, South Africa


Email:msear@webmail.co.za

Congratulations!


The International Mega Promotion team is proud to inform you that you have won USD 2 000,000.00 (Two Million US Dollars)Why you have won? Your E-mail address is one of 200 lucky Addresses who have won in the weekly Promotion.


See below how to claim your prize.


Details on the Winnings


Your Winning Reference Number is: IMP/73253ZA/2005 Batch Number: 642376/ZA/2005.


Just contact our processing manager below for claiming of your prize and remember to quote your reference and Batch Number for easy processing of your prize. That's it!



Processing Manager: Mr. Jerry Smith

South Africa District S A dst
Email:msear@webmail.co.za



Congratulations again and have a lot of fun


The International Mega Promotion team.Canadian Promotion





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam