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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:

• 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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +34618421550 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • lotocatalunya_service_department@yahoo.es
  • lotocatalunsa@aim.com

Fraud email example:

From: hana pato <hana@hanapato.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2006 12:49:34 +0100 (CET)
Subject: CONTACT YOUR CLAIM AGENT WITH AWARD N?. LCT/01, 24, 34, 42, 43, 46 C.02 R.4


AWARD PRIZE:
CONTACT MR. MIQUEL REYES
FROM: LOTOCATALUNYA INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTION PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
CLAIM/REF: KG/1960/30/16
BATCH: 32/932/8JTY/ES
WEBSITE: WWW.LOTOCATALUNYA.NET

Dear Winner,

Following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic
online Sweepstakes organized by the Lotocatalunya corporation, the
lotocatalunya award in inconjunction with the foundation for the
promotion of software, (F.P.S.), held on the 29th of November 2006 in
Madrid-Espanaa, where in your electronic email address emerged as one of the online
winning emails in the 6th category and therefore attracted a cash award of of
€70.131,04 Euro (Seventy Thousand One Hundred and Thirty One Euros, Four Cent.

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 November 2006 with the following particulars attached to
it.

(I) Award Numbers: LCT/01, 24, 34, 42, 43, 46 C.02 R.4
(ii) Email ticket number: TK390/12/67
(iii) BATCH NUMBER: 32/932/8JTY/ES
(iv) The File REFERENCE NUMBER:: KG/1960/30/16

Please contact our foreighn affairs deptartment 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 foreign affairs dept.

CONTACT NAME: MR. MIQUEL REYES
CITY/ COUNTRY: MADRID-ESPAÑAA
FREE SERVICE NUMBER: 0034-618-421-550
FAX NUMBER:0034-911-311-745
EMAIL: lotocatalunya_service_department@yahoo.es or lotocatalunsa@aim.com


The Lotocatalunya Awards is sponsored by a consortium of software
promotion companies.

The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers, Microsoft and other
international companies.
The lotocatalunya 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 Euro are won annually in more
than 150 countries worldwide.
Rememer, all winning must be claimed not later than 19th December,
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 the management and staffs of LOTOCATALUNYA.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Anna Paco.
Promotions Coordinator
www.lotocatalunya.net

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam