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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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• 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.

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

• 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.
  • +447031898803 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • agent.paulphillip@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: colgatevalor@mchsi.com (Heineken promotional Programme)
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:50:35 +0000
Subject: Contact: Mr. Paul Phillip

We are pleased to inform you of the release of the recent results of Heineken promotional Programme,the Official Sponsor of the UEFA Champions league and Rugby World Cup 2007.Your email address attached to the ticket number: 54-20-17-52-34-30 that drew the lucky winning number, which consequently won the in the first category,in four parts.You have been approved for a payment of £2.5 Million (Two Million Five Hundred Pounds Sterlings)in cash credited to file reference number: TFR/9900034943/JPT. For the release of your winning,kindly contact our Payment Representative
in charge of your fund.
(Freelotto Fiduciary Department)
Mr. Paul Phillip
Tel :+447031898803
agent.paulphillip@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam