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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
  
  
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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:
  • "tax clearance" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "fudiciary" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",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)
  • "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
• 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.
  • +34626828949 (Spain, 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.
  • estrellagent@terra.es

Fraud email example:

From: FRED GUBANA <GUBANAFRED@web.de>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:52:24 +0100
Subject: ATTN:WINNER





REFERENCE NUMBER:SL/9420X2/68
BATCH NUMBER:074/05/ZY369
*********************
Congratulations! You are among the three (3)
randomly selected for the
End of year Euro million Lottery held in
Spain.

Selection was made using special software
to generate valid email addresses at
random from over 40,000.00 company
and 20,000,000 individual email addresses from
all over the world. All facilities and
computer software were tested by Statisticians.

Your e-mail ddress attached to ticket number
5224652456-UT with serial number
5388/02, Batch Number: 074/05/ZY-369, lottery
ref number:SL/9420X2/68 and
drew lucky numbers: 03, 07, 15, 38, 43, 47 and
bonus ball 32 which subsequently
won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e.
match 5 plus bonus.Apparently, 3
individual email addresses were selected to
receive from a total cash
prize of £3.5 million euros.

You have therefore been approved for the
total sum of £710,000.00 (SEVEN HUNDRED AND
TEN THOUSAND,EURO)
in cash credited to file MLTT/MTU/2007TN.
This promotion takes place annually. To file for
your claims and
further explanation, Please contact your
FUDICIARY AGENT with the above Batch
and Ref number to enable him validate your
winning,contact him via e-mail below:


Contact Person:Mr.Elvis Gate.
Email:estrellagent@terra.es
Tellphone:+34-626-828-949

Please find below your claims verification form,

(1)BENEFICIARY"S FULL NAMES.................................................
(2)POSTAL/RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS...............................................
(3)COUNTRY(NATIONALITY).....................................................
(4)SEX......................................................................
(5)DATE OF BIRTH............................................................
(6)OCCUPATION...............................................................
(7)MARITAL STATUS...........................................................
(8)WINNING EMAIL ADDRESS....................................................
(9)BATCH NUMBER.............................................................
(10)REFERENCE NUMBER........................................................
(11)TELEPHONE NUBER.........................................................
(12)FAX NUMBER..............................................................

Note: You will be require to pay for the issuance of your Tax clearance
certificate only.
The certificate is your legal prove/guarantee which will be submitted
to the bank for the remittance of your fund.
Th e Validity period of the winnings is for 30 working days hence you
are expected to make your claims immediately, any claim not made before
this date will be returned to the MINISTERIO D ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as
unclaimed.
Once again congratulations !!!


Regards,
Mrs.Mary Abate

Online co-ordinator EURO MILLION SPANISH NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.
website. www.loterias.com [http://www.loterias.com]



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam