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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:
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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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.
  • +2348033844657 (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.
  • dewdropin48@yahoo.com
  • fabreromain@yahoo.fr
  • lucky91324@yahoo.com
  • kennethogarro@yahoo.com
  • adb.customercare_department@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "David Morgan" <claim@shelllottery.net>
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:06:42 +0100
Subject: Contact Paying Bank (read carefully)


* *
*SHELL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL,
CLAIMS DEPARTMENT,
(Customer Services),
Tel: +234-803-384-4657

**Winning Email:* dewdropin48@yahoo.com
**<http://uk.f264.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=fabreromain@yahoo.fr><http://uk.f264.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=lucky91324@yahoo.com><http://uk.f264.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=kennethogarro@yahoo.com>

*Ref: SHL/9420X2/68,
File # XYL/26510460037/08*

*ATTENTION: Dorothy Eileen Williams,*

*CONGRATULATIONS! This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner
of the SHELL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL online Sweepstakes International program,
after all conducting our vetting exercise, you have been discovered to be
the actual winner of the Shell lottery international, and your funds has
been declared to be transfered to your nominated bank account there in your
country by the Shell lottery international Paying Bank, whose details is
written below.

For the immediate release of your funds, you are required to contact the
paying bank(AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK ), whose head quarters is in BENIN.
This is where the funds will be transfered to your nominated bank account.
Also forward a scanned copy of the identity either your International
Passport or your Drivers Licence to the bank for record and other important
purposes. *

*Find below the contact details of the bank:*

*AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.
CONTACT PERSON: Mr. Paul White
ADDRESS: No 221 bola Jegede Rd,
Benin.
Email: adb.customercare_department@hotmail.com *
*Tel: +234-1-8759887
Tel: +234-703-553-3191*

*
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Your winning is presently in a suspense account and covered with an
hardcover insurance policy which has completely makes it impossible to make
any deduction of any kind until it is deposited in your name in an active
account which will make it suitable for transfer.

At this juncture, you are advised to always adhere to the instruction of the
the bank, to enable them effect payment to you, without any further delays.

Note: as soon as you contact the bank do aways update me and also copy me
every email you send to the bank.

We wish you a hearthy congratulation once again.

Congratulations once more.

Warm Regards,
Mr. David Morgan
Claims Agent.
SHELL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam