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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)
• 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.
  • +31615107052 (Netherlands, 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.
  • barrykon38@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "vanessa kleef" <vnklef77@rediffmail.com>
Date: 18 Dec 2006 12:01:09 -0000
Subject: Congratulations!!!


Globa Agency (Globa Lotreij)&nbsp;The Netherlands
REF: EL/653164251591/6011BATCH: 151085135
Dear Sir/Madam
We are pleased to inform you of the result of theGloba Agency Electronic Lotreij Draw Program held onthe 1st of December,2006 in which your e-mail addresswas attached to reference number 653164251591-6011with serial number 73214,batch number151085135,lottery ticket number 690825 and draw luckynumbers 1-12-15-25 bonus number 41 which won a lumpsum pay out of(500,000)Five Hundred Thousand Euros.
All participants were selected through a electroniccomputer balloting system drawn from over FortyThousand company\'s and Twenty Million individual emailaddresses and names from all over the world.Thislottery was promoted and sponsored by Association ofsoftware producers.
To file for your claim, please contact our payingofficer:
Barry Kon,Remittance Department Director,TEL NO: +31 615 107 052FAX NO: +31 847 552 574Email: barrykon38@aim.com
You are also advised to provide him with the underlisted informationas soon as possible:
1. Name in full2. Address3. Nationality4. Age5. Occupation6. Phone/Fax
Congratulations once more from our members of staffand thank you for being part of our promotionalprogram.
Note: Anybody under the age of (18)Eighteen isautomatically disqualified.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Vanessa Kleef,For Management.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam