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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:

• 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:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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 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.
  • mariacastro_fidelity2007@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: euromillo01@zipmail.com.br
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:05:35 -0700
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?LUCKY=20WINNER?=

EUROMILLIONES LOTERIA INTERNATIONAL


CALLE / MORENO NO 56
28204 MADRID
ESPAÑA



11 JANUARY 2008
FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REFRENCE NUMBER: LDN/99415803/08
BATCH NUMBER: 08/1332/00

ATTN: LUCKY WINNER

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE.

We are pleased to inform you of the release today of the results of the
EUROMILLIONES LOTERIA INTERNATIONAL NEW YEAR PROMOTION PROGRAM, held on
the 2 JANUARY 2008.
Your email address was attached to the ticket number 05 - 164992 - 50
with serial number 2113 - 05 drew the lucky numbers 13 - 15 - 22 - 37 -
45 which consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of EUR615,810.00
(SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS) in cash
credited to file REF.NO: LDN/99415803/08.This from a total cash prize of
EUR10,468,77,00 (TEN MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND, AND
SEVENTY SEVEN EUROS) shared among the seventeen international
winners in this category.
CONGRATULATIONS! .

Your fund is now deposited with a security company insured in your email
address. Due to mixed up of some numbers and email addresses, we ask that
you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed
and your money remitted to your nominated account, as this is a part of
our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted
taking advantage of this program by participants.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
55,000 email addresses from Asia, Europe, Australia ,Africa, North and
South America as part of our NEW YEAR PROMOTION PROGRAM., which we conduct
once every year.

To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent, MRS MARIA CASTRO
Foreign Operations Manager, FIDELITY SECURITY COMPANY. on Tell: 00 34 605
714 449, Fax: 00 34 912 919 579 and email is(mariacastro_fidelity2007@yahoo.es)for
processing
and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice.
Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 10 FEBRUARY 2008.

After this date all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA
Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. Andalso be informed that 10% of your lottery winning
belongs to FIDELITY SECURITY COMPANY,because they are your claims agent.
This 10% will be
remitted after you have received your winning fund into your account, because
the fund is insured in your name already.


NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember
to quote your reference and batch numbers in every of your correspondence
with us or your agent Furthermore, should there be any change of your address,
do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for being
a part of our NEW YEAR PROMOTION PROGRAM.

Sincerely,

DON CARLOSWAYAS
VICE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam