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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:

• 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:
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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.
  • claimdept_flashbudgetuk2004@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Vivian Thomas" <infocola_promo2007@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 09:45:47 -0700
Subject: THE COCA'COLA COMPANY OFFICIAL PRIZE NOTIFICATION

COCA'COLA COMPANY
PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD
DEPTCOCA'COLA AVENUE
STAMFORD BRIDGE LONDON.
SW1V 3DW UNITED KINGDOM

Dear Lucky Winner,
THE COCA'COLA COMPANY OFFICIAL PRIZE NOTIFICATION
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just
Concluded annual final draws held on the (30th of
April, 2007) by Coca-Cola in conjunction with the
British American Tobacco Worldwide Promotion, your
Email was among the 20 Lucky winners who won $850,000.00 each on the THE COCA'COLA COMPANY PROMOTION
However the results were released on the 30th of May,
2007 and your email was attached to ticket number
(7PWYZ2006) and ballot number (BT: 12052006/20) The Online draws was conducted by a random selection of Email addresses from an exclusive list of 29,031 E-mail addresses of individuals and corporate bodies Picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the internet.
However, no tickets were sold but all email addresses were assigned to different ticket numbers for representation and privacy.
The selection process was carried out through random
Selection in our computerized email selection machine
(TOPAZ) from a database of over 250,000 email
addresses drawn from all the continents of the world.
The British Gaming Board approves this Lottery
and also licensed by The International Association of
Gaming Regulators (IAGR). This lottery is the 3rd of
its kind and we intend to sensitize the public.
In other to claim your $850, 000 00 prize winning,
which has been deposited in a designated bank.
However, you will have to fill in your details to the form below and send it to the Promotion manager of THE COCA'COLA COMPANY for verification and then you will be directed to the bank where a cheque of $850, 000 00 has already been deposited in your favor or bank transfer.
NAME :.......................................
AGE :
...............................................................
SEX :
.........................................................
ADDRESS :
..................................................
EMAIL :
....................................................
PHONE :
........................................................
OCCUPATION :
...................................................
MARITAL STATUS :
.............................................
COMPANY :
............................................
COUNTRY :
...........................................
Please you are advice to complete the form and send it
Immediately to our Promotion manager through email or
Phone for prompt collection of your fund from the
designated Courier Company. Do note that you are to
Contact with our paying bank immediately for the
Delivery of your winning fund.
(THE PERSON THAT IS IN CHARGE OF YOUR DELIVERY FUNDS IS BELOW)
Name: JOHN BENSON
Phone: + 971 50 397 8569
Email: claimdept_flashbudgetuk2004@yahoo.com <http://uk.f277.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=claimdept_flashbudgetuk2004@yahoo.com&YY=82861&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b>
You are to keep all lotto information away from the
general public especially your ticket number and
ballot number. (This is important as a case of double
claims will not be entertained).
*Staff of Coca-Cola and the British American Tobacco
Company is not to partake in this Lottery.
Accept my hearty congratulations once again!
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Vivian Thomas
(Online Coordinator)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam