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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +447011138893 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • rudolfhunt@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Rudolf Hunt <bnl_mrrudolfhunt@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:45:44 +0100 (BST)
Subject: REFERENCE NUMBER: UK/9420X2/68



FROM THE DESK OF:

Mr. Rudolf Hunt
Representative office.
10 Camelot close Thamesmead.
London E280 ES United Kingdom.
Tel:(+44)701 113 8893
Email: rudolfhunt@hotmail.com

REFERENCE NUMBER: UK/9420X2/68
BATCH NUMBER: 074/05/ZY369
OUR REF: 12190/14
TICKET NUMBER: 112-4540-525-106

Good day Winner,

In my previous e-mails,I explained to you the terms of your being selected for this prize.Upon receipt of your data and identification,your identity would be placed in our secure database and you would be ready for the receipt of your winning prize.The information would be kept secure as part of our verification process to avoid double claiming of funds,until you or your legal representative.I must point out to you that it is essentially cost-free to receive these winnings and if you could provide the information requested I would shed some more light on your claims process.

I look forward to your urgent reply.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam