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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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:
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • ic.system.deliveryforwarding@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: icsystemdelivery@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:52:41 -0900
Subject: TOP OF THE DAY!!!

Dear winner,

We are pleased to announce to you today,the draw of the online INTERLINK LOTTERY programme held on 13th of January
2008. in the second category of our online Interlink promotion.Your e-mail address attached to Your ticket number:
KTU/9023118308/03 (bonus no.23).9. Your batch number 6858/NL and Ref: Uk/9420X2/26.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 850,000.00 EUR.You are to contact our AFFILIATE COURIER COMPANY
for free delivery of your winning certificate and winning cheque.You are to reply to this email address below:

MR. FREDRICK JOHNSON
INTERNATIONAL COURIER SYSTEMS
EMAIL: ic.system.deliveryforwarding@hotmail.com

VERIFICATION FORM TO AUTHENTICATE YOUR EMAIL
FULL NAME.............................
SEX:..................................
AGE...................................
OCCUPATION............................
TEL...........FAX............ (If any)
COUNTRY...............................
WINNING NUMBER........................
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this programme.
Yours Truly,
Richard K. Lloyd

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam