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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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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:
  • "claim 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.
  • +34691914332 (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.
  • assurance_security@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: EURO-MILLIONES <europrimo@aim.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:54:13 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!YOU HAVE WON THE LOTTERY


EURO-MILLIONES
International Award Promotion
Suite 199 / 207 Santiago Benabeu
Madrid Spain
Email:
www.loterias.com

28/11/2007

Dear Winner,

Subject: Final Award Notification

Euro Million International, a non religious and non racist organizations have =
jointly organized a Free Email Lottery Program to unite the human race in =
their religion/belief, as we believe that God is One and human beings are =
equally one not withstanding your religion, race, education or political =
background.

As the beneficiary/user of this email address, you have been selected as one =
of our lucky winners in this our Inaugural Lottery Award, which was organized =
in the Good Spirit of Ramadan and the forth coming Christmas since on the =
12th of October 2007.

Note that all email addresses used in this promotion were presented by our =
International Marketing Department and draw was conducted via Computer =
Programmed Selection System in which your email address won in the 2nd =
Category with the following information:

Ticket No: JIL/002-9-07, with Serial No: 3 & 4, and Lucky No: 21, 32, 36, 46, =
47, thereby winning the sum of Euro708,593.33 (Seven hundred and eight =
thousand, five hundred and ninety three Euros, thirty-three cents only).

Be informed that payments begins since on the 15th of November 2007 and will =
end on the 28th of December 2007; Therefore, we advise you to submit your =
application to our Registered Claim Agent, who will assist you to process and =
facilitate your winnings on your behalf with the below details:

Assurance Security Firm Madrid-Spain.
Contact Name: Mr. Desmod Diaz Sanchez
Tel: 0034-691-914-332
Fax: 0034-691-914-332
Email: assurance_security@myway.com

We wish to congratulate you over your winning as we also pray that you will =
contribute in making
the world a peaceful place for human race.

Yours truly,

Don Sergio Raul Gonzalez
(Programme Director)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam