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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "sent to you via courier service" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • ",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)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • +447045712473 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Summer Crest Finance <philipbell@summercrestfinanceuk.net>
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 06:17:55 +0000
Subject: Requirements



Dear Kort Kohlmann, We are in receipt of your claims file, I wish to inform you that we have in our possession instruments of payment for the sum of £2,000,000.00.00 awarded to you by ROLLING SPIN LOTTERY UK as your prize money in the 3rd Category draws. Requirements:1.You will be required to fill in a "Lottery Winnings Claim Form".
2. You will also be required to pay a fee. This payment is to cover transfer charges, administrative cost, Insurance of vital documents like prize claim certificate and other transfer documents, that will be sent to you via Courier service immediately after transfer of your winnings is effected.
3.After steps 1 and 2 are met your winnings would be transferred to your designated bank account and a copy of your transfer slip shall be sent to you for confirmation.
The reason for this promotional draw is as a result of our vision to extend our activities to other continents of the world and we felt the best way to achieve this is by having a promotional draw.Congratulations once again on behalf of members and staff of the ROLLING SPIN LOTTERY UK.
You are required to respond and act without delay to all instructions provided above to ensure a glitch free claims process that will facilitate the transfer of your prize money. Philip BellClaims Department ManagerSummerCrest Finance UKTel:+44 70457 12473Tel:+44 70059 31081 Fax:+44 70059 47103 Fax:+44 70059 78942 This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or disseminate this communication without the permission of SummerCrest Finance.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam