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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.

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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (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)
  • "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.
  • +27735151055 (South Africa, 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.
  • marulahelpdesk@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Marula Promotions <marulaprogramme0021@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <marulawinnings@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:51:42 +0200
Subject: +++END OF YEAR AWARD WINNER,CONGRATULATIONS+++



MARULA LOTTERIES
28 PRIMVILLE AV. SANDTON SOUTH AFRICA Batch: 12/25/0340 Ref: BTL/101OXI/07 MARULA NOTIFICATION DESK
Dear Winner, We happily announce to you the draw (#954) of the MARULA INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY(AFRICAN SKIES PROMOTION), online Sweepstakes International program held on 28th November 2007 Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 180 with Serialnumber 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: (17)-(43)-(06)-(15)-(08)-(40)bonus #(09).Which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e Oct. 24th plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £1,400,000.00 (One million four hundred thousand pounds sterling) in cash credited to file: KTU/9023118308/07. This is from a total cash prize of £5,000,000,00 shared amongst the firstfour (5) lucky winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus bonus. All participants for the online version were selected randomly from WorldWide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place bianually. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your £1,400,000.00 (One million four hundred thousand pounds sterling)would be released to you by any of our courier department or by on-line bank to bank transfer.Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him/her. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim 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. Please be warned !!! To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent below with the following details: 1.YOUR FULL NAMES AS IT APPEARS IN YOUR NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS. 2. AGE, OCCUPATION, TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER,COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE, AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN 3.YOUR PHYSICAL RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. NAME: Mr.PHILLIP MPHO EMAIL:marulahelpdesk@sify.com PHONE: +27 73 51 51 055 Goodluck from me and members of staff of the MARULA LOTTERIES BOARD. Yours faithfully, RICHARD KESS Director.International Promotions Unit, You must be over 16 years to participate.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam