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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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• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +2348082799144 (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.
  • swilliam4@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: conneticut lotteraward <connecticut_lott_001@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <swilliam4@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:38:36 +0100
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION.



Customer ServiceConnecticut Lottery Corporation34 Creek Road VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS NIGERIA,CT06051 BATCH No-W2861137/STSERIAL No - 0016827866217WINNING NOTIFICATION: We happily announce to you the draw of the
Connecticut Lottery International programs
organised by the united state of America held on
the 25th of August 2007 in NIGERIA. Your e-mail
address attached to ticket number: 644 79543465
B44 has subsequently won you the lottery in the
3rd category. you are a winner of the
International Connecticut Lottery Corporation
where winners are listed after payment. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum
payout of uS$3,500,000.00 in cash credited to
file REF No.: PLI/4080318306/04. This is from
total prize money of US$3,500,000.00 shared
among the six(10) international winners in the
category C.Ref Number of Connecticut Lottery
sweepstake draws - 07 ,18 , 37 , 39 , 46 , 49 ,
56From over 1000000 Email of individuals and
company extracted through the world wide web via
computer ballot system your Email - attached to
ticket number 64479543465B44 with Connecticut
Lottery sweep stake draw ref number 07 ,18 , 37
, 41 , 46 , 48 , 56 . Scored 5 over 7 and won in
the third category. This promotion takes place only for this season
before play coupon begins.In view of this, your
US$3,500,000.00 (Three Million Five Hundred
United States Dollars) would be released to you
by our security firm in NIGERIA. Our NIGERIA
agent will immediately commence the proccess to
facilitate the release of your funds as soon as
you contact him.Please note that your lucky
winning number falls within our America booklet
representative office in NIGERIA as indicated in
your play coupon. For security reasons, you are advised to keep
your winning information confidential till your
claims is processed and your money remitted to
you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim
your prize. This is part of our precautionary
measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted
abuse of this program by some unscrupulous
elements. Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact our
NIGERIA payment agent . MR WILLIAM SMITHEmail : swilliam4@gmail.comTel : 011234-1-8529660 or 234-8082799144.To avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
you are to contact Mr. William Smith with
followings details below:. Your full name, telephone number, contact
address , Age and vocation.. Quote your Ticket, Batch,and serial number in
any correspondences with us or our designated
agent Congratulations, once more from all members and
staffs of this program.Thank you for being part
of our promotional lottery program.DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. CONTACT YOUR CLAIM
AGENT DIRECTLY.Please Reply To My Alternative Email Adress:
swilliam4@gmail.com Best Regards,Mr William Smith.Zonal Coordinator.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam