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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:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "vat (5%)" (VAT rate in the UK is 17.5%, check the math)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447024077591 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: DREAMWAVE EXPRESS <info_dreamwaveexpress@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:06:03 +0100 (BST)
Subject: ORDER NUMBER: ZH6573521



DREAMWAVE EXPRESS©
HEAD OFFICE : OVERSEAS COURIER SERVICE©
BR30-36 NEW PORT,CARDIFF
BRCF24 ODE, UNITED KINGDOM
ORDER NUMBER: ZH6573521



Dear Freda Meyerlich,

This mail is meant to primarily inform you that your mail has been acknowledge. You are required to read the mail below very carefully and strictly follow the instructions there in.

Having been officially cleared for delivery of payment parcel which enclose your winning certificate and payment cheque by the Verifications Dept. at the headquarters of the UK National Lottery organisation, the original copy of your winning certificate and your winning cheque from the paying bank will be processed and couriered to you through your home contact address.

The options stated below are the methods of delivery by our service in this regard which entails the delivery of your parcel to your point of contact. You are required to choose an option that best suits your taste and/or financial strength and immediately get back to us for payment instructions, so we can modulate the delivery of your winning parcel.

The options, together with their associated conditions are stated below:


(24 hours Delivery)

Mailing.........................................£140.00
Insurance......................................£300.25
Vat (5%).......................................£38.00
Total...........................................£478.25

(48 Hours Delivery)

Mailing.........................................£126.00
Insurance......................................£280.00
Vat (5%).......................................£34.75
TOTAL.........................................£440 .75

(72 Hours Delivery)

Mailing.........................................£152.00
Insurance......................................£240.00
Vat (5%).......................................£33.95
TOTAL.........................................£425.95

Post office mail (4 Working Days)

Mailing..........................................£170.00
Insurance.......................................£150.50
Vat (5%)........................................£24.00
TOTAL..........................................£344.50


NOTE THAT YOUR WINNING PRIZE IS PROTECTED BY A HARDCOVER INSURANCE POLICY, UNDERTAKEN BY THE GEOTRUST INSURANCE COMPANY HERE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DEDUCT ANY CHARGES FROM THE WINNINGS BEFORE IT IS BEEN REMITTED TO YOU. THIS MEANS THAT THE ABOVE CHARGES CANNOT BE DEDUCTED FROM THE PRIZE WINS AND HENCE MUST BE PROVIDED BY YOU UPFRONT BEFORE YOUR PRIZE CAN BE DELIVERED TO YOU.

Mr. Micheal Bolton
(Dispatch Officer),
Dreamwave Express Courier Company,


Unit 11, Ashford Industrial Estate,
Shield Road, Ashford, Middx,
TW15 1AU, London.
United Kingdom.
Phone : +44 702 407 7591
+44 702 407 7435




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam