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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
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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.
  • grouplotto555@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Susan Hof" <susanhof001001@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 06:51:10 -0500
Subject: INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PRIZE AWARD DEPT.

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PRIZE AWARD DEPT.

REF: DRF/933221523/542
BATCH: 21/532/8YPK/NL

Dear Winner,

Following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic online
Sweepstakes organized by the Group lotto corporation, the Slidecircuir award
and the Heineken prizes in conjunction with the foundation for the promotion
of software products,
(F.P.S.), held on the 5th of October , 2006, in Amsterdam The Netherlands,
wherein your electronic email address emerged as one of the online winning
email in the 1st category and therefore attracted a cash award of 1,000,000
Dollars (One million Dollars only),
We write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contact
the
processing office immediately upon receipt of this message for more
information concerning the verification processing and eventual payment of
the above prize to you.
It is important to note that your award information was released today the
18th of October 2006 with thefollowing particulars attached to it.
(I) Award numbers: TL 22/23149
(ii) Email ticket number: TK390/12/67
(iii) The file REFERENCE NUMBER:KG/1960/30/16
Please contact the claim agents within 5 working days to
facilitate the release of your prize, You are required to mention the above
particulars of your award in every correspondence addressed to the
processing agents.

CONTACT NAME: MR. JAMES PETERSON.
CITY/ COUNTRY: Amsterdam, THE Netherlands.
TEL:0031-622-718-258
EMAIL:grouplotto555@netscape.net

The Group lotto Awards is sponsored by a consortium of software promotion
companies.The Intel Group,Toshiba, Dell Computers, Microsoftand other
international companies.The Group lotto Internet draw is held periodically
and is so
organized to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy
worldwide.We are proud to say that over 20 Million Dollars are won annually
in more
than 150 countries worldwide.Remember, all winning must be claimed not later
than 30th of October, 2006.Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delays
and complications,remember to quote your reference number and batch number
in all correspondence.
Once again on behalf of all our staff,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Sincerely,
Mrs.Susan Hof.
Promotions Coordinator

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam