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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:
  • ",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.
  • +34693374966 (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.
  • bancolacaixacentersp@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "euro promo" <europromo0002@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:01:50 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!


EMAIL PROMO AWARD

EURO MILLION PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REF NO: MMIL/3762367224/05 BATCH NO: 2177/005/MMD
FROM DESK OF PROMOTION MANAGER{EURO MILLIONS}


We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer
balloting sweepstake held in madrid spain.
This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses
were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet
users,No ticket were sold for it. You have been approved for the star
prize of $1,500,000.00 (One Million,Five Hundred Thousand Dollars)


To claim your winning prize you are to contact the appointed agent as
soon as possible for the immediate release of your winnings,
You must contact the PAYING BANK with your Full Names,
Contact Telephone Numbers (Home, Office and Mobile Number and also Fax
Number)and also with your winning informations via email to process
the immediate payment of your prize.The Validity period of the winnings
is for 30 working days hence you are expected to make your claims
immediately, any claim not made before this date will be returned to
the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA.

CONTACT DETAILS
CONTACT PERSON:MR DONALD ASBURY
Bank Name:LA CAIXA BANK MADRID
Email: bancolacaixacentersp@yahoo.com.hk
Tel : +34-693-374-966
Fax : +34-917-889-838

Yours truly,
Secretary
Anna Maria

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam