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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:

• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: Scott McClain <scottmc.ctcinc@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 04:49:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Urgent.


Attn: Mr. Trommgen,

Your english speaking is briliant to my own understanding since you are not an english person, you are really very itelligent to speak this much.

Meanwhile, regarding to your message, i have read and understood everything you said, the email which is enclosed to me is as well noted. You was selected for a lottery Bonanza which your email address won you the sum from the random computer ballot draw, you did not enter directly to the lottery promo, but your email address was selected and the won you the prize among four other winners. Im not in the possition to tell you all this things, because this is not my duty, you were supposed to have gained every information from Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson. Please see Elizabeth Johnson, if you are still in doubt.

The steps to claim your is for you to kindly filled the questionaire in order to begin your prize payment, see questionaire below and fill them, return to me immediately to process your prize coillection.

Step to take, fill the questionaire, return to me for payment:
Ticket Number:......................
Reference Number:...................
Serial Number:......................
Batch Number:.......................
Names:..............................
Sex.................................
Birth Date:.........................
Address:............................
Country:............................
Telephone Numbers:..................
Fax if any :......................
Occupation:.........................
Marital Status:.....................
I.......hereby declare that the above information are true and binding on me. If at any time it is discovered that I have given false information, i will forfeit my rights to my winnings.
.
Regrads,

S. McClain.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam