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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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.

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "toyota car promotions" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
• 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.
  • +447031820488 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • mr.smithwilliams@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Toyota Car Promotions <toyotaowners7@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2007 11:18:46 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS FROM TOYOTA PROMOTIONS.





Toyota Car Promotions Department2 Lansodowne Row, Berkeley Square,London,W1j 6h, United KingdomCVR-nr. 25554493. CONGRATULATIONS.
This is to inform you that you have been selected for a Cash prize of £600,000.00 (Six Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds)and a Brand New Toyota Yaris Sedan Car ,Red Metallic with avaliable fog lamps,15-in aluminum alloy wheels and rear spoiler in the International programs held on 18th.September 2007 in London United Kingdom.
The selection process was carried out through random selection in our computerized email selection system(s) from a database of over 250,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world.This Toyota car Lottery is approved by The British Gaming Board and also Licensed by the The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).This promotional car lottery is the tenth of its kind and we intend to sensitize the public. To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your claims officer through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below: Mr. Smith Williams.
E-mail; mr.smithwilliams@yahoo.co.uk
Phone; +447031820488
Fax; +448709745471When contacting him, please provide him with your secret Pin Code TY7448500 and your Reference Number 799BV90,You are also advised to fill the form in your attachment as soon as possible: If you do not contact your claims agent within 14 working days of this notification, your winnings would be revoked. Winners are advised to keep their winning details/information from the public to avoid fraudulent claim (IMPORTANT) pending the transfer/claim by Winner. CONGRATULATIONS!, once again! Regards
Mrs. Success G. Evans
Toyota Lottery Manager
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam