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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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• 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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "international lottery programme" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: ROBERT KERRY <kerry_robert04@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: kerry_robert104@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:55:26 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!! (Your Email has won $500,000.00)


Date 27/07/2008
Ref: 575061725
Batch: 8056490902/188
Winning no:
KB8701/LPRC
Dear Sir/Madam,
CONGRATULATIONS!!
We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on the 10th of july 2008 from the Australian International Lottery Programme which is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using their email addresses. Your name was attached to ticket number; 5750617258056490902 serial number 6741137002.
HOW TO CLAIM: Contact
our Fiducial Agent, Mr. Leo Clarkson;(leoclarksonagent@myluckymail.com) to file for your
claim. Please quote your: Date of draw, Reference Number, Batch Number and Winning Number, Also, you should give in your telephone number to help locate your file easily.
Mr Daniel Kenneth;
(For the co-ordinator)


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam