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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!
  
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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)
  • ",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.
  • +34634029330 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • @aim.com

Fraud email example:

From: Ahmed Abdullah <hayes.tracy.lee@bigpond.com>
Reply-To: ahmedxz@netscape.net
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 23:21:02 +1000
Subject: THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!!!


PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT NOW!!!
=20

FROM THE DESK OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER
INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT=20
THREE CROWNS LOTTERY GAMES INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PROGRAMME.
AVENIDA DE AMERICA 65, 64527 MADRID - ESPA=C3=91A

FILE REF:HL/7764/06/07/MICS
BATCH: MC12/894/5PDH /EU =20
=20

OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:



DEAR WINNER:

It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a suprise but plea=
se find time to read it carefully as we congratulate you over your success =
in the following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic o=
nline Sweepstakes organized by Microsoft,in conjunction with Three Crowns l=
ottery Games and the foundation for the promotion of software products,(F.P=
.S.), held on the 3rd of June 2008,in Madrid Spain.


Wherein your electrononic email address emerged as one of the online=20
winning emails in the 1st category and therefore attracted a cash award of =
1,500,000.00Euros(One Million Five Hundred Thousand Euros only).

Our winners are arranged into four categories with different winning prizes=
accordingly in each category.They are arranged=20
in this format below:

CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES
1st. 2 1,500,000:00euros each
2nd. 4 1,000,000:00euros each
3rd. 7 800,000:00euros each
4th. 10 500,000:00euros each


We write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contac=
t the processing office immediately upon=20
receipt of this message for more information concerning the verification, p=
rocessing and eventual payment of the=20
above prize to you.

It is important to note that your award information was released with the f=
ollowing particulars attached to it.
(1) Award numbers: ES 61/0768
(2) Email ticket numbers: ES553/26/00
(3) Batch numbers: MD11/834/5PDH /EU
(4) The file reference numbers: HL/5564/40/07/MICS
{5} Serial Numbers:McST/006/ES4657

For verification purpose be sure to include:
(1) Your mailing address.
(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.
(3) Your Nationality/Country.
{4}Your Full Names


To file for your claim,Please contact your Validating Officer for VALIDATIO=
N of your winning within Twenty-nine working days of this winning notificat=
ion.Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of winn=
ing notification are termed void and invalid. You are required to mention t=
he above particulars
of your award in every correspondence to enable the Agent validate your win=
ning.

CONTACT:
*******************************************************************
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
NAME MR. PEREZ GONZALEZ.
CITI TRUST SECURITY & FINANCE(ES)
AVENIDA DE EUROPA 75,28046=20
MADRID-SPAIN.

TEL:+34-634-029-330
FAX:+34-91-791-5259
E-mail:infogonzalez2008 @aim.com
********************************************************************

The Three Crowns Lottery Games Promotions is sponsored by Microsoft
CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates:http://www.templetons.com/brad/billmap.gif and a =
consortium of software promotion companies.The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell C=
omputers and other International Companies.The Microsoft internet E-mail dr=
aw is held periodically and is organized to encourage the use of the Intern=
et and promote computer literacy worldwide.


Once again on behalf of all our staff,


CONGRATULATIONS!

Yours faithfully,
=20
Hayes Tracy Lee (Mrs)=20
THREE CROWNS E-MAIL LOTTERY PROMOTION COORDINATOR.=20

=20

Copyright =C2=A9 1994-2008 The Three Crowns lottery Awards Promotion Inc. A=
ll rights reserved. Terms of Service -Guideline.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam