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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "united state dollar" (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 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.
  • sandydon-1@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: Sandy Don <sandyreal@myway.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:28:19 -0400
Subject: selected...email award result




Dear Sir/Madam.

We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer balloting =
held on 1st July 2007. This is a Millennium Scientific Computer Game in which =
email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging =
internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. You =
have been approve f or the star prize of US $787:000:00 (Seven Hundred And =
Eighty Seven Thousand United State Dollars Only).

To claim your winning prize you are to contact the appointed agent as soon as =
possible for the immediate release of your winnings:

Onward-Seguros -Sa.
E-mail sandydon-1@myway.com
Contact Person:-Sandy Don

Ref No:-EMSL/ 2007/July
Ticket No: - T W M T/1 800/806
Lucky No:- 07-13-31.54-640
Ser ial No: - MUO TI/82536

You must contact the appointed agent with your Full Names, Contact Telephone =
Numbers (Home, Office and Mobile Number and also Fax Number) via email to =
process the immediate payment of your prize.
The Validity period of the winnings is for 30 working days hence you are =
expected to make your claims immediately.
Once again congratulations !!!

Mrs.Sarah Elena Mariano.
(Program Executive Assistant)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam