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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
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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:
  • "yahoo lottery inc" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million us 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)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cheque " (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. )
  • "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.
  • rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "yahoo agent" <yahoocongratulation@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 19:23:37 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS, YOUR EMAIL WON!!!


*YAHOO INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY INC *

*[image: YAHOO! MAIL]* ** *[image: My
Yahoo!]<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/CMP=229/ELEM=15106477/UID=712/U=112002491/L=lid:15005416/E=5YL7W5wjwCWp5dFuSTQO/D=mail/M=287466.7609950.8481748.7383539/A=3160424/S=24244634/SIG=140ljkr5t/*http%3A//e.my.yahoo.com/config/set_cstheme?.page=p2&.partner=&.intl=us&.done=http%3a%2f%2fmy.yahoo.com%2findex.html&.src=my&v9>
AWARD*
** **


**
** <http://yahoo-email.com/a/hBFb7bQAo0kxwAo4Da4A1$QTe.AhAvS-yt/ynu5>
* *
This is to inform you that you have won prize money of ONE MILLION US
DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00) for the YEAR 2008 Lottery promotion, which is
organized by YAHOO LOTTERY INC for the introduction of the new YAHOO BETA
MAIL, which all YAHOO users are required to switch onto.

YAHOO! & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, arranged and gathered all the e-mail addresses
of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to
All email Addresses, and others we only select Nine (9) candidates annually
as our winners through Electronic Balloting System (EBS) without the
candidates applying, we congratulate you for being one of the people
selected.

*PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND
CLAIM*
**
Your Payment Approval File was sent to African and European continent only
due to the fact that more winners emerged from their .You are to contact our
Location Claim Agent on or before your date of Claim.

Yahoo Beta Lottery Prize must be claimed not later than 21 days from date of
Draw Notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won unless
otherwise.

Note: Any prize not claimed within this period (21days) will be forfeited
unless where necessary.

These are your identification numbers:

Batch number.....................YBM-EBS-360AF
Ref number........................YBM-EBS-710AF
Winning number...............YBM-EBS-718AF

These numbers above fall within the agent's Location file, you are requested
to contact your Agent and send your Identification Numbers and Personal
Information to him.

REV_FR_PAUL_SMITH at his email:
rev_fr_paul_smith@yahoo.co<http://uk.f282.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com>
.uk<http://uk.f282.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com>
E-mail: rev_fr_paul_smith@yahoo.co<http://uk.f282.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com>
.uk<http://uk.f282.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com>

You are therefore advised to send the following information to him to enable
him facilitate the process of transfer of your fund with the appointed
paying bank.

Send your Identification Numbers/Your Personal Information to him
immediately:

Personal Information
1. Full name................………………….
2. Country..................………………….
3. Contact Address.........…………….
4. Telephone Number.......………………
5. Marital Status............……………..
6. Occupation................………………
7. Age.......................………………
8. Sex.......................…………………..

1. Means For Transfer of Prize Payment to winners.


(a) International Certified Bank Draft.
(b) Account Transfer.

If Account Transfer writes provide all your banking details to the paying
bank or your agent

Congratulations once again.
Yours in service,
******
*[image: Yahoo! UK & Ireland]*
** *<http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/_javascript:ol%28%27http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/__javascript:olhttp://www.freelotto.com/offer.asp?offer%253d43761%2526amp;FID%253dfa7d27913658;%27%29;>
*
**
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:
Cheque Delivery To Your Address Bank Account Transfer Diplomatic
Means NOTE:
NOBODY WILL TOUCH YOUR PRIZE FOR ANY REASON AND AN AFFIDAVIT OF FACT AND
CLAIM WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BANK BY THE COURT BEFORE THE BANK CAN RELEASE
YOUR PRIZE.
** See what's happening on Yahoo.com today. *Do you Yahoo!?
*<http://yahoo-email.com/a/hBFb7bQAo0kxwAo4Da4A1$QTe.AhAvS-yt/ybang>
*[image: Add Some Flair - It's
Easy]*<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/CMP=229/ELEM=15106477/UID=714/U=112002491/L=lid:15005416/E=5YL7W5wjwCWp5dFuSTQO/D=mail/M=287466.7609950.8481748.7383539/A=3160424/S=24244634/SIG=140rcf7ig/*http%3A//e.my.yahoo.com/config/set_cstheme?.page=p2&.partner=&.intl=us&.done=http%3a%2f%2fmy.yahoo.com%2findex.html&.src=my&v1>
*If you have questions or wish to claim your prize money kindly
contact this **email,*
rev_fr_paul_smith@yahoo.co<http://uk.f282.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com>
.uk<http://uk.f282.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com>
*<http://uk.f282.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rev_sis_marrysmithen@hotmail.com>
** see the instructions at the body of this message.*
*[image: (Photograph)] *
*Mrs. Carol Sweet *
*(Co-oordinator). *
**
**
* *
**
*Past winners *
**
**
*
Yours faithfully,
Carol Sweet
Online coordinator for
YAHOO LOTTERY PROGRAMME,
Sweepstakes International Program.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam