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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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 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.
  • +2348039626509 (Nigeria, 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.
  • mr.davidkewell@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "shell lottery" <shelllttr34@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:55:00 -0700
Subject: SHELL FOUNDATION CONGRATULATES YOU,


SHELL INTERNATIONAL LTD
SHELL FOUNDATION,
NIGERIA, SE1 7NA
Date: 28th of July 2008
Reference Number: 575061725
Batch Number: 8056490902/188
Winning Numbers: 1 2 26 30 40 21


Dear Donation Beneficiary,

NOTIFICATION OF YOUR WINNING

The Shell Foundation Nigeria is glad to inform you that you have been
approved a lump sum pay of US$400,000.00 (FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) in
cash credit file ref: ILP/HW 46704/03 from the total cash prize shared
amongst eight lucky winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer balloting system drawn
from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, United
States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our
international promotions program which is conducted annually. This Lottery
was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies
as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities
where they have operational base.

The Shell Foundation Nigeria was established in the year 2000 by the Shell
Multi-Million Groups and is now supported by the United Nations (UN), European
Union (EU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

To celebrate the 7th anniversary programme, the Shell Foundation Nigeria, in
conjunction with some multi national companies and other relevant bodies is
giving out a yearly donation of US$400,000.00 (FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS) to eight lucky recipients.

These specific Donations/Grants will be awarded to recipients worldwide, in
different categories for their personal business development and enhancement
of their educational plans. Kindly note that you will only be chosen to
receive the donation once, which means that subsequent yearly donation will
not get to you again.

You were selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of
US$400,000.00 (FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) as charity donations/aid from
the Shell Foundation Nigeria in accordance with the enabling act of
Parliament.

To file for your claim, Please contact our Claims Agent through the
following information below.

Contact Person: David Kewell
Email: mr.davidkewell@yahoo.com**
Phone: +234 8039626509

Quote your reference, batch and winning number which can be found on the top
left corner of this notification.

For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information
confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize
released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this programme by
non-participant or unofficial personnel. All information is strictly
confidential and will only be used for the purpose to which it is been
requested.

Finally, their respective beneficiaries should claim all funds, not later
than 28 days after notification. Failure to do so will result to outright
cancellation.

On behalf of the entire Board, I say Congratulations!!

Best Regards,
Mr. John Roland
Grants Coordinator

ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO
DISQUALIFICATION.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam