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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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 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.
  • magaretcollins2@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?B?Ii4gU2Vicm/vv70i?= <paul31@telecom.cz>
Reply-To: magaretcollins2@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:23:42 GMT
Subject: CONFIRMATION LETTER FROM THE UK THUNDERBALL LOTTERY OFFICE(YOU
HAVE WON 500,000:00)




We wish to notify you that this email address was randomly selected
and entered into our free fifth category draws(no ticket was sold)
held on 20th July 2008.
You have subsequently emerged a winner and therefore entitled
to a substantial amount of 500,000.00 Pounds.
=============================================
YOUR WINNING DETAILS:
REFERENCE NUMBER:UK/839030X2/14
TICKET NUMBER:023-1111-790-458
For further information, kindly confirm receipt of this email, by
forwarding this message to our claims department: Mrs MAGARET COLLINS
via Email:magaretcollins2@hotmail.com
PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM:
============================================
1.FULL NAMES:_____________
2.ADDRESS:_______________
3.SEX:_______________
4.AGE:________
5.MARITAL STATUS:__________
6.OCCUPATION:_____________
7.E-MAIL ADDRESS:___________
8.TELEPHONE NUMBER:_______
9.AMOUNT WON:______________
10. COUNTRY________________
=============================
Please Reply To Only This Email Below:
Mrs MAGARET COLLINS via
Email:magaretcollins2@hotmail.com
==========================================
Thank you.
ONLINE COORDINATOR.
UK THUNDERBALL LOTTERY.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam