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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")
  • ",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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • attorneythomasbell_uk@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: CHEVRON TEXACO LOTTERY DEPARTM <chevron_texaco_coy17@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: attorneythomasbell_uk@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2007 12:48:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: MESSAGE FROM CHEVRON TEXACO COMPANY


CHEVRON TEXACO COMPANY
CHEVRON TEXACO LOTTERY AWARD DEPARTMENT
LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM.

Dear winner,


We happily wish to inform you of the announcement of winners of the CHEVRON-TEXACO LOTTERY ONLINE DRAW,at THE UNITED KINGDOM INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held here in the UK.Your email address was attached to secret pin number: CHT141419651307,with serial number CHTX5073-11. The lucky numbers TX0148192583 were attached to your e-mail address and consequently won you the lottery in the first category.


You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of One Million USD.(US$ 1,000,000) in cash credited to file REF NO.CHT141419651307.This is from
total prize money of (US$ 30,000,000)shared among the 30 Chevron Texaco winners in the first winning category.


For You to File In Your Claim at the Zone C Prize Redemption Headquarter Contact your agent and provide the information below along with Your Reference and Lucky Number

1.Full Names:
2.Address:
3.Age:
4.Sex:
5.Marital Status:
6.Occupation:
7.Phone numbers:
8.Country:

Ensure that you contact your Claims Agent with the information below.

Name:BARRISTER THOMAS BELL.
Email:attorneythomasbell_uk@yahoo.co.uk


Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotional lottery programme.

Yours Sincerely
,
MRS ALICE MOORE
(Lottery Coordinator/Director)
CHEVRON-TEXACO LOTTERY


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam