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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "international lottery programme"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +447928516385

Fraud email example:

From: "euro millions" <contact@euromillionsdepartment.info> (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2007 22:27:05 +0100 (MET)
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION


FROM: INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION / PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
EURO MILLIONS LOTTERY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BIG BIG LOTTO.
7 Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7XS
United Kingdom.
REF. NUMBER: EM/895/UK/07.
WINNING NOTIFICATION: We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Euro Millions International Lottery Programme held on the 05/01/2007 by the Big Big Lotto International Online Services. As part of the annual promotional programme by the Big Big Lotto International. The weekly competition was drawn along with over Twenty million individual and company email addresses online.
Your EMAIL address attached to ticket number 101777948 drew FIVE LUCKY NUMBERS ( 17-19-29-36-45) and one of the TWO LUCKY STAR NUMBER (01-06). As your EMAIL has matched the FIVE LUCKY NUMBERS and one of the TWO LUCKY STAR NUMBERS you have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of €952,637.90 Euros, please check the link below for more information.
http://www.thebigbiglotto.com/online-lottery-euro-millions-lottery-results.php
However, due to mix up of some numbers and names we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some lottery scammers. You are to contact the Claims Officers via the two email addresses below with the information listed below for necessary processing of your claim.
Co-ordinator: Mrs. Ainslie Mason
Assistant Co-ordinators:
Mr Peter smith
DIRECT PHONE: +44 7928516385
FAX: +44 2079 002 312
Email: claim@euromilions.org
1. FULL NAMES:
2. ADDRESS/STATE/COUNTRY:
3. SEX:
4. AGE:
5. MARITAL STATUS:
6. OCCUPATION:
7. E-MAIL ADDRESS:
8. FAX AND TELEPHONE NUMBER:
9. MOBILE NUMBER
10.LUCKY MAIN NUMBER:
11.LUCKY STAR NUMBER:
12. REF NUMBER:
13. AMOUNT WON:
14. MODE OF PAYMENT.
A. BANK TRANSFER:
B. COME PERSONALLY TO UK TO RECEIVE YOUR PRIZE:
Please note that winners are also invited to our annual end of year dinner coming up on 27th January, 2007. This will be an all expense paid event and we should be given at least two weeks notice prior to the event should you wish to attend.
CONGRATULATIONS on behalf of the Staffs of THE BIG BIG LOTTO AND EURO MILLIONS INTERNATIONAL.
Message sent from the Desk of;
Vivian Cole Carpenter.
Regional Director

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam