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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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 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.
  • esfcorps@netscape.net
  • claimagency@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: vmcreditcard66@voila.fr
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:57:37 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Last and Final Notification of Claim !!!


Last and Final Notification of Claim !!!
Foreign Remittance Department
Amsterdam the Netherlands
Ticket NO: 3344/3414-22
Serial NO NLE/36-47/07
Lucky No: 27, 35, 40, 64, 84,11
Reference num: NLRE2007

Attention: Prize Beneficiary.

Dear: Winner,

Congratulation! On behalf of VISA MASTER CREDIT CARD and ONLINE BANKING, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter to you through the Post Office was returned undelivered, therefore I now attempt to reach you via your e-mail message as it appears to be the next and the only option left unexplored.

VISA MASTER CREDIT CARD made you a beneficiary in their yearly email lottery award Bonanza; you have been awarded the sum of Million United States Dollars (US$1,000,000) in the 2007 just concluded computer email ballot lottery held in the NETHERLANDS. VISA MASTER CREDIT CARD is a pioneer sponsor of this award in conjunction with INTERNET BANKING in EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, AMERICA, NEW ZEALAND, MIDDLE EAST. The draws were held prior to your notification. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 4,000,000 names/email addresses of companies/individuals. NO TICKET WERE SOLD.

This prize is now ready for claim. Please If I reach you as I am hopeful I will, endeavour to get back to our processing agent as soon as possible to enable him conclude his job so as to be very free from any blames or blame that might come up in the near future you should forward along your current Telephone and Fax numbers, your current mailing Address.

You can also write through our claim agent email addresses which is on this emial below for claim of your prize, I congratulate you for this is a significant honour.

Remittance Officer
Name: Mr.Raymond van der Veldt
Tel/fax: +31-847-300-847
Email: esfcorps@netscape.net
Email: claimagency@aim.com

Respectfully yours,
Karin Verdonk.

Note: As your claim agent i please advice to keep this information from member of the public until your prize is duely process and claimed.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam