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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:
  • "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 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.
  • michael_luxner@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "award notification" <hndservices005@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:01:52 -0500
Subject: Notification: respond urgently.

EUROPEAN HND UNION LOTTERY
INTERNATIONAL WINNERS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
DUMENSTRAAT B56,1002BS AMSTERDAM,
THE NETHERLAND


CONSOLATION PRIZE WINNING NOTICE!!!


We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer
balloting sweepstake held on 31th August 2006. This is a millennium
scientific computer game in which email addresses were used.

It is apromotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore
you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. You have been approve of or
the star prize of $ 1,000,000.00(One Million United State Dollars Only).

To claim your winning prize you are to contact the appointed agent as soon
as possible for the immediate release of your winnings:

Mr. MICHAEL LUXNER.
Claim Agent
Email: michael_luxner@yahoo.co.uk


You must contact the appointed agent with your Full Names, Contact Telephone
Numbers (Home, Office and Mobile Number and also Fax Number) via email to
process the immediate payment of your prize.

The Validity period of the winnings is for 30 working days hence you are
expected to make your claims immediately, any claim not made before this
date will be ret urned to the EUROPEAN HND UNION LOTTERY.

Once again congratulations !!!

Best Regards,

Mrs Monica Byrant.
(Group -Coordinator)

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam