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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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.
  • +2348064263907 (Nigeria, 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.
  • williambonki@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: australia lottery2007 <australianotifications2@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: williambonki@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:17:15 -0800 (PST)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOUR EMAIL HAS WON IT


FROM DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDSDEPARTMENT AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY COPORATION;

DATE:15/11/2007
REF NUMBER:475061725
BATCHNUMBER:7056490902/188
WINNING NUMBER:GB8701/LPRC

CONGRATULATION!CONGRATULATION!! CONGRATULATION!!!

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on the 11th of november 2007 from the AUSTRALIA NTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROGRAMME,Which is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses,Your name was attached to ticket number; 4706172507056490902 serial num.
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE:
Simply contact our fiducial agent,
REV. WILLIAMS BONKY
Email: williambonki@yahoo.com

To file for your claim.Please quote your reference, batch and winning number which can be found on the top left corner of this notification as well as your full name,addressand telephone number to help locateyour file easily. For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize released to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this programme by non-participant or un official personnel. NOTE,all winnings must be claimed before 30TH of november 2007; otherwise all funds will be returned as Unclaimed and eventually donated to charity organization. Congratulations once again on your winnings!!!

Best Regards,
REV FR.DUCK MAYOR .
(co-ordinator).

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT Rev. WILLIAMS BONKY
EMAIL;williambonki@yahoo.com
+234-8064263907

YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT WITH THE E-MAIL ADDRESSES THAT HAVE BEEN INDICATED FOR CLEARIFICATIONS.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam