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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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)
• 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.
  • webchoice.mgt@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "NET POINT COMPANY" <nplaci006@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 20:21:39 +0000
Subject: AWAITED RESULT/ CONGRATULATIONS!


PLS CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT

NETPOINT COMPANY
GREENSBROM INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD.
GC/(B: AWARD DEPT
REF: CCC/014-667/05
BATCH:BBA/33/918/PTNL
RE: WINNING FINAL NOTIFICATION

Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on the 10th Dec 06. Your e-mail
address
attached to ticket number 10902219877-4213 with serial
number 370-611403 drew lucky numbers
4-00-97-22-00-00 which consequently won in
the 3rd category, you have
therefore been approved for a sum pay out
of $2000,000 USD.
(Two Million Dollars). CONGRATULATIONS!!! This is
>from the total sum of
10,000 000 United State Dollars category for
three winners.
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that
you keep your winning information very confidential till your claims
has been processed and your prize/money Remitted to you. This
is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming
and unwarranted
abuse of this program by some participants. All
participants were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from over 200,000,000 company and 300,000,000 individual
email addresses and names from all
over the world. This promotional program
takes place annually. We hope with part of
your winning you will take
part in our next year USD90,000 000 million
international lottery. To file for your claim,
please contact our/your fiducial agent

WEBCHOICE AGENCY
CLAIMS DEPT
Email: webchoice.mgt@hotmail.com

GEORGE BROWN
TEL: 00316 1976 7005

Note that all unclaimed funds will be
included in the next stake. Please
note in order to avoid
unnecessary delays and complications please
remember to quote
your reference number and batch numbers in all
correspondence.
Further, should there be any change of address
do inform our agent as soon as
possible. Congratulations once
more from our members of staff and
thank you for being part of
our promotional
program. Note: Anybody
under the age of 18 is automatically
disqualified.

Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Rose Fins
Lottery Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam