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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • ",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)
• 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.
  • +31630100750 (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.
  • staatinfoprogram@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: frank mark <staatlotpro10@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:17:29 +0000
Subject: REF Number: SW/90/0021/7896/56



REF Number: SW/90/0021/7896/56BATCH: 34/0065/KJY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENTRESULTS FOR CATEGORY "A" DRAWS Dear Sir/Madam
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the International ElectronicLottery Draw Program held on the 27th of June,2007 in which your e-mailaddress was attached to this file number W-91237-H°67/B4 with serial number472-9768, which won a lump sum pay out of (1,000,000.00) One million Euros.All participants were selected through an electronic computer ballotingsystem drawn from over Forty Thousand company's and Twenty Millionindividual email addresses and names from all over the world.This lotterywas promoted and sponsored by Association ofsoftware producers.To file for your claim, Please contact the authorized officer in charge.DR.RUUD GARRIK. ROTTERDAM,THE NETHERLANDS. TELEPHONE:0031-630-100-750.FAX:0031-847-564-313.Reply Email: staatinfoprogram@aim.com
You are adviced to provide the following informations:1. Name in full2. Address3. Nationality4. Age5. Occupation6. Phone/Fax
Congratulations, and thank you for being part of our promotional program.Note: Anybody under the age of (18)Eighteen is automatically disqualified.
Sincerely Yours,MRS.MARISKA NOWAK.THE PROMOTION COORDINATOR,

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam