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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • shawstakersclamisdept_2006@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "shaws _lottrey" <shaws_lottrey010@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 16:59:44 +0200
Subject: Cash Prize Award Notification.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PROMOTION MANAGER
SHAWSTAKERS LOTTERY, SOUTH AFRICA.

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are happy to inform you that you have won a cash prize of $900.000.00(Nine hundred thousand United States Dollars in the SHAWSTAKERS LOTTERY Promotional draw announced today 12th SEPTEMBER of 2006.

Winners were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 5,500,000 email addressesof individuals from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and NewZealandas part of our electronic business Promotions Program. You qualified for the draw as are sultofvisiting SHAWSTAKERS LOTTERY ORGANISATION e-business websites on the
Internet.

A ticket number 100-309-7482, with serial number 111 410-887 was attached to
your email address which drew the lucky numbers 1 10 29 37 45 49 and consequently woninthesecond category.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You are to contact the director of SHAWSTAKERS LOTTERY claims department
with the information below to arrange for your payout,

Mr. clef john humalo
Email:SHAWSTAKERSCLAMISDEPT_2006@YAHOO.COM
Tel : 27-782 511 251


Ensure that you contact the director of claims department not later than 14 working days from the day you receive this notification message for due processing and remittance of your prize.

Finally, please make sure you quote your ticket and serial number when
contacting the claims department for easy reference.

Sincerely,

MRS MAGRET POWELL
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
SA LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam