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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "international lottery programme" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • richard.giles@winning.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Yahoo! Inc" <yahooinc@mwebnetpromo.org>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 14:29:53 +0000
Subject: E - poczta Zawiadomienie (((Gratulacje!!!)))













Congratulations!!!




Dear Lucky Winner,

We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on the 4th May 2008 from the Yahoo Beta International Lottery Programme. Which is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using e-mail addresses.
Your e-mail was attached to Ticket Number;7458222754, 905534213 Serial number
6741137002, Draw Number 2607 .This batch draws the lucky lotto numbers asfollows 11 23 39 38 22 24 supplementary numbers 21 14 ,whichconsequently won the lottery in the second category.

Youhere by have been approved a sum of US$200,000.00 (TWO HUNDRED THOUSANDDOLLARS) in cash credit file ref: ILP/MW 47509/08 from the total cashprize shared amongst eight lucky winners in this second category

Date: 04/05/2008.
Ref: 7458222754/05/08.
Batch: 905534213/255.
Winning No: XB3/701/LNRC.

CONGRATULATIONS !!!.

Allparticipant were selected through a computer-ballot system drawn fromNine Hundred Thousand e-mail addresses fromCanada,Europe,Australia,United States of America,Asia , and Middle Eastas part of Our International Promotions Program which is ConductedAnnually. This Lottery was Promoted and Sponsored by YahooInternational Inc.
Furthermore your details (e-mail address) falls within our EuropeanRepresentative Office in London-UK as indicated in your play coupon andyour prize of US$200,000.00 will be released to you from this regionalbranch Headquarters Office in Liverpool,United Kingdom. We hope withpart of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakesfor US$ 1.3 Million international draw.

HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE: Simply contact our agent,Richard Giles at :
(richard.giles@winning.com) or Call (UK Customer Care Line)+44 (0)704579-1090. to file for your claim.

Pleasequote your Date of Draw,Reference, Batch and Winning Numbers which canbe found on the top left corner of this and telephone number to helplocate your file easily.

FULL NAMES: ___________________________
GENDER:______________________________________
DATE OF BIRTH:________________________
AGE:____________________________________________
MARITAL STATUS: __________________________
NATIONALITY: ________________________________
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE:_________________________
HOME ADDRESS: __________________________
OFFICE ADDRESS: ______________________________
MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:_____________________
TELEPHONE NO:________________________________
FAX NO: ________________ ______________________
OCCUPATION: _______________________________
TICKET NUMBER: __________________________
AMOUNT WON:____________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS: ___________________________

ForSecurity Reasons, We advise all winners to keep this informationconfidential from the public until your claim is processed and yourprize released to you.This is part of our security protocol toavoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of thisprogramme by non-participant or un-official personnel.

Note, all winnings MUST be claimed by the 1st June 2008; otherwise all funds will be returned as unclaimed prizes.

Congratulations once again on your winnings!!!

Note: Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.

Best Regards,

Mrs Marie Latta (Co-ordinator)
http://lottery.yahoo.com/lottery/





We hope you're enjoying your new Yahoo! Mail account.
Now take the next step and claim your money and say thanks to Yahoo!.
You select how to transfer the prize money to you:
International Certified Bank Draft.Bank Telex-Electronic Transfer. Cashier's Cheque.



See what's happening on Yahoo.com today. Do you Yahoo!?
If you have questions or wish to claim your won prize kindly contact this email, richard.giles@winning.com see the instructions at the body of this message.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam