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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • ",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.
  • +447045705404 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • wpatton200@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Wolfgang G. Crusen" <eurostakes12@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: wpatton200@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 00:28:26 -0700
Subject: NOTIFICATION!!!


European Sweepstakes Promotion
49 Chepstow Close, Lytton Grove,
London, SW15 2HG
United Kingdom.

Ref: win/oct102/07
Batch:05/10/wa34
AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION

We are happy to announce to you the draws of the EUROPEAN SWEEPSTAKES
International programs held on the 11th of January 2008 in LONDON. Your
email address attached to ticket number 1456 with serial number 5555/04
drew the lucky number 3-1-174, which subsequently won you the lottery
in the first category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total
sum of 2,000,000.00 (Two million euros) in cash credited to file
wlp/23456/05. This is from a total cash prize of 60 million euros, shared
amongst the first thirty (30) lucky winners in this category.

In view of this, your 2,000,000.00 (Two million euros) would be released
to you by our redemption centers and Europe, Our agents will immediately
commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as
you contact our agent.

All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Website through
computer ballot system extracted from over 1,000,000 companies and
individuals, This promotion takes place annually.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential untill your claims is processed and your money remitted to
you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our
precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this
program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned.

To file your claims, please contact our agent:
Mr. Williams Patton.
Universal Trust Inc.
Email: wpatton200@hotmail.com
Tel: +44-704-570-5404
Fax: +44-707-502-0586
CService : +44-700-580-5929

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than two weeks of receiving
this notification. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in
the next stake.
To avoid unnecessary delay and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us to our designated
agent.

Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program!!!

Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Sincerely,

Dr. Wolfgang G. Crusen
Managing Director
European Sweepstakes Promotion.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam