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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claims director" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +31619773907 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS. RITA JAMES" <rita_james@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:30:42 -0200
Subject: E-MAIL AWARD NOTICE!!!

REF NO: AIF61693008-09!!!

AWARD DEPARMENT!!!
DE GOLDSTAR E-GAME.

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

SEQUEL TO THE ANNUAL PROMOTION DRAW OF THE ABOVE NAMED ESTABLISHMENT IN
EUROPE, CONDUCTED ON THE JANUARY 22nd 2007. I AM GLAD TO NOTIFY YOU THAT
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS ATTECHED
TO REF NO:AIF61693008-09 AND TICKET NUMBER: 40338522CH WHICH WON IN THE
FIRST CATEGORY 'A' LUMP-SUM OF ONE MILLION AND FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND Euros (
1.500,000; 00. Euros).

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

BE ADVISED TO KEEP YOUR WINNING REF NUMBER CONFIDETAIL TILL YOUR PRIZE IS
PROCESSED, TO AVOID MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS/FILLINGS. ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE
SELECTED RANDOMLY BY A COMPUTER SOFTWARE BALLOT DEVICE.

THIS PROMOTION IS SPONSORED BY SOME GROUP OF CORPORATE ESTABLISHMENT AND DE
GOLDSTAR E-GAME ORGANIZATIONS IN EUROPE.

NB: KIND TO STATE YOUR REF AND TICKET NUMBERS WHEN FILLING FOR YOUR CLAIM.

MR. CLEMENT HENSMOR
GERTENBACHSTAAT 90,
1106 WC AMSTERDAM
THE NETHERLAND
TEL: +31-619-773-907
FAX: +31-847-521-825
Email: hensmor@fstmail.com

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and coupon numbers in all correspondences
with your claims director.

Sincerely,

Mrs. RITA JAMES
For GOLDSTAR LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS
NB: All response should be mail to De Award Department: hensmor@fstmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam