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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:
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Joel Maxwell" <joelmaxwell@swiftdeliveries-online.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 10:23:14 +0000
Subject: PROCEEDURES FOR PARCEL DISPATCH {CPEL/OWN/9870}




ATTN: Alfreda Guillen Antonio,

Your particulars have been received in this office.This means that you have been officially cleared for payment by the Payment Department of the Overseas claims Unit(Euro - Afro Asian Sweepstake Lottery).Your winning cheque, original copy of your winning certificate, together with a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the Euro - Afro Asian Sweepstake Lottery government stating that the money was obtained legally through their New Euro - Afro Asian Sweepstake Lottery promotion will be sent to you. Reply with this information's for confirmation and update: Next of Kin: Fax Number: Phone Number: Class of Delivery: _______________________________Description Of Parcel to be delivered_______________________________Item to be delivered Winning parcel Total weight of parcel 0.13 kg Color of parcel Brown Length of Days Pending on your choice of class of delivery Delivery Package Status Not ready for dispatch
Please find below our charges: Kindly note that we rate our postage charge
depending on the high sensitivity of the package to be delivered. ______________________________Normal class delivery: in 116 hours __________________________ ( cost of delivery) Postage: 210.00 pounds Insurance: 370.00 poundsAdministrative: 90.00 pounds _____________________________Total 670.00 pounds _____________________________

_____________________________Premium class delivery:72 hours _________________________ (cost of delivery) Postage: 300.00 pounds Insurance 370.00 poundsAdministrative: 150.00 pounds ____________________________Total 820.00 pounds ____________________________
____________________________
1st class delivery:48 hours _________________________ (cost of delivery) Postage: 400.00 pounds Insurance 370.00 poundsAdministrative: 250.00 pounds ____________________________Total 1020.00 pounds ____________________________
We only use our account when we are dealing with Affiliate organisations or companies so we recommed that payment should be made Western Union Money Transfer or money gram to a designated Account Officer whose details will be provided to you as soon as we confirm your shipment options.

Note: That your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you.

This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the national gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3RD July 1996 by the constitutional assembly.This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds

Send your response to indicate your option within the next 24hrs,because you only have 10 working days to claim this cheque and after this period, your cash prize will be deemed to have been forfeited by you and will be reused in the drawings of the next edition of the lottery. Do acknowledge the receipt of this mail. Yours In Service,Mr.Joel Maxwell. © 1995-2007 Global Courier Systems 77735 876378 253667469

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam