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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.

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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.
• 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.
  • +34651047021 (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.
  • finanfacil@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • finanfacil1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: maria@marialuisa.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 21:20:08 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Dear Lucky Winner.


EUROMILLONES AWARD
Madrid-Spain.
Ref No: ESM/WIN/008/05/10/MA
Attn: Winner,
We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer
balloting sweepstake held on 10th January 2007. This is a millennium
scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a
promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore you
do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. You have been approved for
the star prize of Eur 950,000.00(Nine Hundred And Fifty Thousand Euro
Only) in the Second Category.
This the first Promotional program for the year 2007. It is absolutely
the biggest bonanza in this year stakes.
To claim your winning prize you are to contact the appointed agent as
soon as possible for the immediate release of your winnings:
Mr. Edward Lopez (Claim Director)
FINANFACIL SEGUROS S.A
Avda. Puerto Rico, S/N
28090 Madrid.
Tel: 0034-651-047-021
E-mail: finanfacil@aim.com or
finanfacil1@hotmail.com
(1) Batch No: EULO/2907/444/908/06
(2) Ticket No: 45407
(3) Lucky No: 3-18-40-40-76
(4) Serial No: 51622
You must contact the appointed agent with your Full Names,Contact
Telephone Numbers (Home, Office and Mobile Number and also Fax Number)
including your winning informations stated above via email to process
the immediate payment of your prize.
The Validity period of the winnings is for 30 working days hence you
are expected to make your claims immediately, any claim not made before
this date will be CANCELLED.
Best Regards,
Mrs. Finela Transofa
(Lottery coordinator).
Madrid, 13th Jan. 2007

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam