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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
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• 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:
  • "plaza de mar zheng " (address often used in fake lottery scams)
• 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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. )
• 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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • wweng_lee@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • msviola_lee@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MACAU PROMOTION" <ms_jenn7@mail.mn>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 10:13:52 +0800
Subject: MACAU CELEBRATION


MACAU CASINO JUMBO DRAW
FOREIGN SERVICES MANAGER,
ASIA PACIFIC CHINA
Customer Service
Ref: MC/7146x4/99
Batch: 132/756/4007
WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce today of the MACAU CASINO PROMOTION EXTRAVAGANZA, in
MACAU. Your email addresse was among the bingo selection, as it was
randomely brouse through our techinical technical team.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$500,000.00 in
cash (five Hundred Thousand, united state dollars) in cash
And you are in the second category,, and we have FIVE ways of
claiming your fund,

CLAIMANT PROCEDURE

1,coming to macau casino centre
2.payment by atm card for you to claim it from any atm machine in your
country.
3.by draft or cheque in your name
4. by telegraphic transfer through bank to bank basis
5.travellers cheque and western union

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our CHINA booklet
representative office in ASIA as indicated .In view of this, your
US$500,000.00 ( five Hundred Thousand, united state dollars) would be
released to you by any of our payment offices in ASIA as soon as possible.

FOREIGN SERVICES MANAGER,
CHINA SWEEPSTAKE PROMOTION
PLAZA DE MAR ZHENG CHINA
wweng_lee@yahoo.com <msviola_lee@yahoo.com>

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
Confidential till 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. Be warned
to file for your claim immediately.

Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Your Sincerely,
MS JEAN MARTIN
VICE PRESIDENT INT.PROMOTIONS
CASINO PROMOTION AGENT
CHINA AGENT
wweng_lee@yahoo.com




PLEASE FILL UP CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM AND SEND IT BACK TO US

FULL NAMES OF BENEFICIARY:........................

CONTACT ADDRESS:..................................

EMAIL ADDRESS:............................................

CITY/STATE:.......................................

COUNTRY:..........................................

NATIONALITY:......................................

SEX:.......................AGE:...................

MARITAL STATUS...................................

TEL NO:...........................................

NEXT OF KIN:......................................

ANNUAL INCOME:....................................
AMOUNT WON:.......................................

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam