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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:

• 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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand us dollars" (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 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.
  • jacknicolejack@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Australian Lottery <australianlotteryresults2007@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2007 13:19:06 +1000 (EST)
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION 2007!



FROM: MAXWELL DESMOND,
CONTROLLER.


SUBJECT: WINNING NOTIFICATION 2007




We happily announce to you the draw (#994) of the AUSTRALIA NATIONAL LOTTERY,
online sweepstakes
international August 3rd2007 Your e-mail address attached
to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02
drew the lucky
numbers:07-11-12-20-38-44-45(bonus no.05),which subsequently won you the lottery in
the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus.You
have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of
$350,000.00{Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand us dollars }
In cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of
$3,500,000.00{Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand us dollars}
shared amongst the {10} lucky winners in this category i.e Match
5 plus bonus. All participants for the online version were
selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw
system and extracted from over 100,000 union associations and
corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes
place weekly.Please note that your lucky winning number falls
within our Australian booklet representative office in Nigeria as
indicated in your play coupon.In view of this, your {$350,000.00}
would be released to you by
any of our payment offices in Australia.
Our Australian agent will immediately commence the
process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you
contact him.For security reasons, you are advised to keep your
winning information confidential till your claims is processed
and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit
to claim your prize.This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.

“I Wo'n – $350,000.00”
“Co-incidentally,Last Saturday
I won the australia L'ottery and w'on just $350,000
On the same Saturday
Steve Porter ,Holland


To File for your claim, please contact our claims agent below.
***************************************************************
Name : REv. Jack Nicole
E-mail:jacknicolejack@yahoo.com
Foreign Services Manager, Payment and Release order
Department,SOUTH WALES,AUSTRALIA.

***************************************************************

sincerely

MAXWELL DESMOND
CONTROLER




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam