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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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• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "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. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. )
• 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 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.
  • stevehenry@alumnidirector.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MARK GREG" <markgreg732@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: stevehenry@alumnidirector.com
Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 03:04:38 -0500
Subject: YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS HAVE WON YOU A PRIZE

FROM: SWISS LOTTO INTERNATIONAL
POSTFACH, 4002 BASEL.
HEAD OFFICE: SWITZERLAND
REF NO: SL/74/368/05
BATCH NO: SL-121-LT-11-12-05
 
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
 
WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT AS A RESULT OF OUR RECENT DRAWS HELD  ON 3rd MAY 2007. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 27522465896-532 with  serial number 652-662 drew lucky numbers 7-14-18-23-31-45, which  consequently won in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump  sum pay out of $1,000,000 (ONE MILLION DOLLARS) Note that 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 web sites.
 
This promotional program takes place every year, and is promoted and  sponsored by eminent personalities like the Sultan of Brunei, Bill gates  of Microsoft Inc and other corporate organizations. This is to  encourage the use of the Internet and computers worldwide.
 
For security purpose and clarity, we advise 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 claims and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
 
To file for your claim, please contact our London payment office Mr.  STEVE HENRY E-address: ( stevehenry@alumnidirector.com ) E-mail with the  following information below as soon as possible for the immediate release of  your winnings. It will enable our account department proceed with the processing of your cheque. You are required to fill the required details:
 
USE CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY.
 
FULL NAME:
 
NEXT OF KIN:
 
CONTACT ADDRESS DETAILS:
 
SEX:
 
PHONE (HOUSE NO AND MOBILE PHONE) AND FAX NUMBERS:
 
AGE:
 
COMPANY NAME:
 
PROFESSION:
 
NATIONALITY:
CONTACT ADDRESS DETAILS WHERE YOU WISH YOUR CHEQUE POSTED TO:
 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR COMPANYAND INDIVIDUAL:
 
DATE:
I .................................................here by duly declare  that I have not claimed any fund from THE SWISS LOTTO INTERNATIONAL  Company before and will abide with the procedures for my fund release.
 
Nationality:
 
Remember, all winnings must be claimed not later than one month after  the date of this notice. Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary  delays and complications, remember to quote your reference number and batch  numbers in all correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent  as soon as possible. Congratulations once more and thank you for being  part of our promotional program.
 
NOTE: YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED IF YOU ARE BELOW 18 YEARS OF  AGE. You are advised to forward this information as soon as possible to  enable us attend to your winnings.
 
Our Finance company has been  contacted to handle payments on your behalf, once we confirm your information,  your payments would be processed.

Yours Sincerely,
 
Mr. Mark Greg
(LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR)
POSTFACH, 4002 BASEL.
HEAD OFFICE: SWITZERLAND.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam