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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:
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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:
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.

Fraud email example:

From: "advocatelarrymoresa advocatelarrymoresa" <advocatelarrymoresa@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 02:35:32 -0700
Subject: Procedure


From : The office of ADV.LARRY MORE Esq.
Payment processing agent / Manager,
Shawstakers Lottery Promotion South Africa

Attn: Co-winner: Jolan Hirsch,

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LOTTO WINNING CLAIM.

Dear Sir / Madam,

We wish to acknowledge receipt of your message to this office in respect to
your Lotto winning notification and claim. Congratulations.

It is our obligation to inform you that we have been mandated to process,
release and transfer your winning fund by Shawstakers Lottery Promotion. We
are mandated to supervise, assist and monitor the claim and payment of
winners of the Lottery from the designated bank here in South Africa.

In order to process your winning payment, we shall require your unflinching
support and co-operation as to carry out payment and transfer of your fund
to your nominated bank account. Please, kindly forward the following
information to enable us commence the processing of your winning fund:

1) Your full names
2) Your contact address
3) Your country of origin
4) Your telephone, fax and mobile numbers
5) Scanned Copies of the first two pages of your international passport or
national identification document
6) Your occupation, age and marital status
7) Details of your receiving bank account.
8}Your ticket number
9}Your serial number
10}Your drew lucky numbers

As soon as we receive this information, we shall commence the processing of
your funds and after due verifications in conducted and scrutinized, we
shall instruct the holding bank to release and transfer your fund to your
nominated bank account.

In normal circumstances, it will take us three to Five working days to
complete the processing and transferring of your money but this would depend
on the support and co-operation we receive from you. You are not expected to
come to South Africa to process your winning and your funds. It is your duty
to comply with the necessary requirements to process your funds while it is
our duty to process it and transfer it to any banking account nominated by
you.

You are not expected to come down to South Africa to claim your funds, you
will only be required to meet the requirements for processing your funds and
after that, we can send your funds to you either by certified bank Cheque,
certified bank Draft or a direct bank to bank transfer (T/T Wire transfer).
We expect you to indicate the most convenient form of payment of your funds.


Thanking you very much for your anticipated co-operation in serving you
well. You are advised to call the undersigned for clarifications. Please,
correspond with us through this email address.

Truly yours,

ADV.LARRY MORE Esq

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam