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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • vickenita@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • vick_enita2008@madrid.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • vick_enita2007@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "jameswoodpowerball1900 Gazeta.pl" <jameswoodpowerball1900@gazeta.pl>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 18:29:07 -0700
Subject: POWER BALL LOTTERY PROMOTIONS


FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER
POWER BALL LOTTERY PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
POWER BALL LOTTO COMPANY

Dear Winner

We are please to announce you as one of the 17 lucky winners in the Power
Ball Lottery draw held on the 28th of May. 2008. All 17 winning addresses
were randomly selected from a batch of 50 000 000 international emails.Your
email address emerged long side others as a category 2 winner in this year's
Annual Power Ball Lotto Draw.

Consequently you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of $4,500
000 USD only.The following particulars are attached to your lotto payment
order:

i winning numbers: 37-13-43-85-67-11
ii email ticket number:PBL754/22/76
iii lotto code number: PB09622UK
iv the file Ref number: PB/04/736207152/UK

Please contact the under listed operations manager as soon as soon possible
with the requested information on the Verification
form below for the immediate release of your winnings:Mrs. Vick Enita.The
Power Ball Lotto CompanyEmail: vickenita@hotmail.com,
vick_enita2008@madrid.com, vick_enita2007@yahoo.fr

1.Please quote your Reference number in all correspondence with the
operations manager.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sincerely

James Wood.

PowerBall Lotto company UK & Europe


VERIFICATION FORM

1.FULL NAMES:_______________________________
2.ADDRESS:___
3.SEX:__________
4.AGE:__________
5.MARITAL STATUS:___________________
6.OCCUPATION:_______________________
7.E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
8.TELEPHONE NUMBER:__________________________
9.WINNING NUMBER:____________________
10.FILE REF. NUMBER:______________
11.EMAIL TICKET NUMBER:___________________
12.LOTTO CODE NUMBER__________________
13.AMOUNT WON:______________________
14.COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL____________
15. COUNTRY________________________________
CLAIMANT SIGNATORY DECLARATION
====================================
Congratulations once again.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam