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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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• 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:

• 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)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims director" (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 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.
  • dr_lesleywilliams@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: file103@mchsi.com (Yahoo!)
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:30:32 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS WON £500,000.00 IN THE YAHOO PROMOTIONS

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER
INTERNATIONAL GRANTS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REF:YAHOO6/315116127/27
BATCH:15/623/UK.

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Yahoo
Patronage Bonanza held on the 20/07/2007.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 883734657492-5319
with serial number 7263-267, batch number 8254297137, lottery ref number
7336065782 and drew lucky numbers 14-22-28-37-40-44 which consequently won in
the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
£500,000.00 (i.e Five Hundred Thousand United Kingdom Pounds).Please note that
this Promotional Programmes tagged "Thanks for contributing to our financial
Sucess" was sponsored and organized by the Yahoo Corporation in view of the
Financial benefits YAHOO have recieved from
its numerous customers either through adverts, hosting and personal emails.

The reason this lottery was organized is to thank the numerous public
including users and non-users of YAHOO MAIL for the financial benefits
THE YAHOO CORPORATION have recieved as a result of their Patronage this
Financial Year.This Lottery is approved and licensed by the International
Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).This lottery is the first of its kind
organised by YAHOO In view of this, your Five hundred Thousand United
Kingdom Pounds (£500,000.00) would be released to you by any of our Yahoo
Offices.

To file for your claims, please contact our claims director Mr.Lesley
Williams.to claim your prize please contact:

DR.LESLEY WILLIAMS
REMMITANCE DIRECTOR
YAHOO PROMOTIONS UK
44 Moorfields London EC2Y 9AL UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: dr_lesleywilliams@yahoo.de

For processing and remmitance of your winnings, you are required to
contact our designated claims agent with the following underlisted
informations:FULL NAMES,CONTACT ADDRESS,COUNTRY,SEX,AGE,OCCUPATION,TELEPHONE
NUMBER,
NATIONALITY.

Congratulations once again, from all members of staff
and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam