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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.

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.
• 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.
  • +31626989223 (Netherlands, 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.
  • midlandcredbnk@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "LOTTO.NL" <info_online_award@walla.com>
Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 15:59:48 -1100
Subject: WINNER WINNER

Koningen Julianaplein 21, 2391 BD
Denhaag, The Netherlands
(Award affiliate with Subscriber Agents).
From: Mrs A. Bogat (Award Co-ordinator)
W W W . L O T T O . N L

The gaming board is pleased to inform you of the result of the online award
program held on the 24th of May 2007. Your E-mail address attached to NL
number # 3525489 and online number # 1966428, was awarded the sum of
1,000,000.00 euros. This program is organized to promote special internet
products like online banking etc.

This draws was conducted formally and winners were selected through a
special internet ballot system from 50,000 individuals and companies E-mail
addresses.

To avoid double claim you are strictly advised to keep your winning numbers
confidential. Details on how to transfer your award to you will be given
when you contact the paying bank.

For immediate release of your winnings please contact our paying bank and
send them the following information:

*************************************************************
(i) Name:
(ii) Contact telephone and fax numbers :
(iii) Contact Address :
(iv) Winning numbers (NL and online numbers) :
(v) Awarded amount :
(vi) Notification date :
*************************************************************
Contact person: Stam Solevan
E-mail: midlandcredbnk@aim.com
Tel: 31 626 989 223

Calling hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-6:00pm

NOTE: If English is not your first language and you have problems
understanding this e-mail, please go this website
http://babelfish.altavista.com/, you will be able to translate this mail in
several other languages.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam