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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • ",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.
  • +31626415837 (Netherlands, 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.
  • acf_foundation101@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Stichting INGKA Foundation" <acf_foundation101@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 07:18:27 -0500
Subject: NOTIFICATION FOR CASH AID.

Foundation's Officer,
Stichting INGKA Foundation,
The Netherlands.
http://www.ikea.nl/

Dear Sir/Madam,

NOTIFICATION FOR CASH AID.

This is to notify you that you have been chosen By the Board
of trustees
of the above International charity organization branched in
the
Netherlands as one of the final recipients of a Cash
Grant/Donation for
your own personal, education and business development.

Based on the random selection exercise of internet service
providers (ISP)
and millions of Super market cash invoices worldwide, you
were selected
among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of
US$2,000,000.00
(TWO Million United States Dollars) as charity donations/aid
from the
Association Of European Charity Foundations and the UNO in
accordance with
the enabling act of Parliament. Note that, your email was
selected from
either the internet, or a Shop's cash invoice around your
area in which
you might have purchased something from.

Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers
(N-220-6721, L-001-04)
in all discussions.
***********************************
Executive Secretary,
Mr. Arthur stewart
Tel:+31-626-415-837
Email:acf_foundation101@yahoo.com.hk
http://www.ikea.nl/
**********************************
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Gordon JUlia.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam