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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.

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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447005978460 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Rebecca Combs" <reb_combs@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:46:48 +0000
Subject: Dear Keith

THE HEAD
RESULTS DEPARTMENT
ASCORT FOUNDATION LOTTERY
TEL: +44 700 597 8460
REFERENCE NUMBER: 2348097504

PIN: 0046

Good Day Keith,

Following the results of our annual Lottery draws concluded in Jan 3rd
2007,we are pleased to inform you, that your e-mail address attached to
ticket number; 27522465896-532 with serial number 652-662 drew luck numbers
7-14-18-23-31-45 which consequently won in the final category.

You are one of the winners and therefore have been approved for a lump sum
pay out of $845,000.00 US (Eight Hundred and Forty Five Thousand
Dollars).All participants in this lottery program have been selected
randomly through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 companies
and 30,000,000 individual email addresses from all search engines and
websites.

his promotional program takes place every year, and is promoted and
sponsored by many corporate organizations.For security purposes and clarity,
we advise that you keep your winning formation confidential until your
claims have been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of
our security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this
program as we shall not be held responsible for any false claim.You are
requested to contact our clearance officer, Barrister Clive Mingay
EMAIL:barrmingay@walla.com

Immediately to assist you with your winnings and subsequent payments. All
winnings must be claimed not later than 21 days from the date of this
notice.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,remember to
quote your reference number and PIN in all correspondence.
Furthermore,should there be any change of address do not fail to inform our
agent.
congratulations once more!

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs Celia combs frsa.
(Results Department)

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam