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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
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• 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.

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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!

Fraud email example:

From: "MacdClaim Dept" <mrsrebej@rediffmail.com>
Date: 20 Dec 2006 04:59:39 -0000
Subject: Congratulations, you have won a fortune!


FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,MAC\'D LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, UK.
Dear Winner,
&nbsp;AWARD NOTIFICATION/FINAL PAYMENT NOTICE.
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, 20th December, 2006, of Winners of the MAC\'D PROMO LOTTERY, UNITED KINGDOM,draws held on 18th December, 2006. Your email address attached to ticket number: 048-0932-560-025, with serial number : 2293-40 drew the lucky numbers : 09-66-44-89-19-11, and consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.
You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out of (£1.500.000.00) One Million, five hundred thousand British Pounds in cash credited to Reference number : 019866009011M’DLP. This is from total prize Money Of (£25.500.000.00) Twenty-Five Million, five hundred thousand British Pounds shared among the seventeen International winners in this category.
All participants were selected through a computer Ballot System drawn from 25,000 email addresses from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, North America and Asia as Part of International Promotions Program, which is Conducted Annually.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming by participants of this program. We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our new year high stakes £500 Million International Lottery.
To begin your claim, quote your Reference and contact our Director, Claims/Remittance Department:
Mr. Matthew Cole, Email: matt.cole07@yahoo.caCongratulations !
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Rebecca Johnson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam