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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +31626417111 (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.
  • interpriceaward@yahoo.dk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Gerald Walter <interwardclaims012@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:05:55 +0200
Subject: YOUR TICKET NUMBER:PP 3502 /8707-01



FROM THE DESK OF MR.GERALD WALTER: INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPTWINNING NOTIFICATION FOR CATEGORY "A" WINNER ONLY ATTENTION! We are pleased to inform you of the result of the last final annual draw of our LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL Programs. The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 25,000,000 e-mail addresses of individuals and corporate institutions, picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets were sold. After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged as awinner in the category "A" with the following numbers attached Ref Number: GP 14-M-246-04, Batch Number: 573881545-NL/2007 and Ticket Number:PP 3502 /8707-01. You are therefore to receive a cash prize of $2,500,000.00. (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand) from the total payout. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are advised to contact our Certified
and Accredited claims agent for category "A" winners with the information below:************************************************MR.JOSE BOWERPhone:+31 626 417 111Email:interpriceaward@yahoo.dk************************************************You are advice to provide him with the following information:Names:Telephone/Fax number:Nationality:Occupation:Age:
NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than (14) days;
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our Promotional Program. Regards, Gerald WalterLottery Coordinator.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam