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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims 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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• 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.
  • lotteryagent100@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: mrs mariani <mrsmariani1@orange.nl>
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 03:45:21 +0100 (CET)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!





EUROMILLIONS INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY AWARD
WEBSITE: http://www.thelotter.com
Your Ref: Number: ESG/WIN/008/05/10/MA
You’re Batch Number: A/2907/444/908/0A

Attn: Sir/ Madam.

We are pleased to inform you of the result of The Lottery Winners International Programs held on 8TH February 2008, Due to mix up of some numbers and names, the results were released on 14th February 2008, Your e-mail address attached to Ticket number 27511465896-6410 with serial number 3772-510 drew lucky numbers 17,28,30,38,44 1,4 which consequently won in the 3rd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of € 815,960.00 (Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixty Euros)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
We ask that you keep your winning information very confidential until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants and non participants.

All participants where selected through a computer ballot system drawn from Over 20,000 company and 30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world, We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the next years Promotion €152.78 million Euros. To file for your claim, Contact your Claim Agent SR. Espiridion Gomez Sanchez

Financial Security S.L Madrid Spain
E-mail: lotteryagent100@yahoo.it
DIRECT LINE: + 34 676 251 892
FAX: + 34-91-181-7487

Please Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than after this date, all unclaimed funds will be included February 28th stake Program. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, Please remember to quote your ref and batch numbers in every correspondence with your claims agent with the details below to Sr. Espiridion Gomez Sanchez.

(a) Full Name:……. (b) Address:……. (c) Sex:……..
(d) Age:……(e) Marital Status:………. (f) Occupation:………
(g) E-mail Address:………… (h) Telephone Number:………. (i) Mobile Phone:….
(j) Amount Won:………… (k) Country:………….. (l) id or deriving lance

I would like to be paid by (1) Bank to Bank Wire Transfer (2) Home Delivery (3) Bank Draft/Certified Cheque. Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program. Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Marian Isabel Enrique.
Lotería Co-coordinador

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam