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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • ",500,000" (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.
  • +447024065484 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Becky Owen" <customer_services_center@yahoo.cn>
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 13:33:03 -0700
Subject: Customer Services


EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT
1 Plough Place,
London EC4A 1DE
UNITED KINGDOM
REF: WE67/4360/34
BATCH: 11/4578/GN
(Customer Services)

Attn:Sir/Madam.

Top of days greetings to you.Finally today, we announce that you are
one of the winners of the ELECTRONIC LOTTERY PROGRAMS.

held on 5th MAY,2008.Your company and your personal
e-mail addresses, attached to ticket number: 7-1-8-36-4-22 under
agent ID: 18 and lucky ball number 7363789,which consequently won in
the Tenth lottery category.

You have therefore been awarded a lump sum pay out of 860,641.28 Great
British Pounds(GBP) which amounts to $1,500,000.00 (One Million,Five
Hundred Thousand United States DOLLARS).


Your fund has been insured with your identification number
{CPEL/OWN/9876}. To claim your winning prize, you must first contact
the claims department by email for Processing and remittance of your
prize to you.


Mr. Arnold Fernando
TEL: +44-702-406-5484
FAX: +44-168-860-1052
EMAIL: Accredited_Agent2008@yahoo.cn


FILL THE FORM BELOW WITH YOUR DATAS

1.Full Name:____________________
2.Address:______________________
3.Nationality:____________________
4.Age:______________________________
5.Occupation:____________________
6.Phone:________________________
7.State of Origin:_________________
8.Country:______________________


On behalf of the EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT. accept our warmest
congratulations

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Becky Owen
Lottery Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam