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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:

• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +27741926461 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
  • +27866064999 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • davd_palmer@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: claimcentersa@terra.com
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:08:08 +0200
Subject: Claim Notification

Claim Notification
Attention: Winner,
EMAIL-LOTTERY AWARD PROMOTIONAL PROGRAMME FOR AFRICA
SPONSORD BY MICROSOFT
This is to inform you that your email ID has won 550,000.00Euro(Five
hundred and fifty thousand euro) in the first category of Freelotto computer
ballot email lottery with the winning numbers giving below.
NOTE: to file for your claim, please contact the claimagent below on
email or phone.
MR.DAVID PALMER
35th FLOOR,ROOM 02
CALTON CENTER AND TOWER
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.
TEL: +27-74192-6461
FAX: +27-86606-4999.
EMAIL;davd_palmer@yahoo.com

The following particulars are attached to your lottery payment order:
Remember to quote these numbers in
your correspondence with your claims agent.
PROMOTION DATE: 14th of SEPTEMBER 2007.
REFERENCE NUMBER: ESLUP/1117/6452/07
BATCH NUMBER: 65/051/IFOP
LUCKY NUMBER: 18-23-55-62-71
TICKET NUMBER:34-50-01-25-10
SERIAL NUMBER: 14-83-43-44-08
Your winning prize is not deductable until your winnings has been
processed,approved and transfered to you by your claim agent above.
The beneficiary is responsible for the VAT/APPROVAL CHARGES of your
winning prize to his/her country.
Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for
believing on email communication and also for being part of our
promotion program.NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than 14days;

Sincerely,
Maria Simpson.
Promotions Manager

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam