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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!
  
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447023078790 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: MSN Awards Notification Team <info_notification@msnawards2008.uk.tt>
Reply-To: mr_terrymartins19775@live.com
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:48:31 -0500
Subject: claims



FREELOTTO GROUP INTERNATIONAL
Prize Remittance Division (PRD)
RE: OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION=20

FILE REF NO: 07- 321786542
FAST NO: 2912144
LOTTO REF: FL/0507/FAST=20

Dear Prize Winner,=20

You have won a FREELOTTO PRIZE OF ONE MILLION UNITED KINGDOM
POUNDSTERLING, a prize payout of your winning has been approved by
theFREELOTTO GROUP. In accordance with the United Kingdom
lotteryordinance, you are authorized as the lotto prize winner to
requestclaims of your winning prize.=20

The Freelotto Group is an online promotional program organized by
theFREELOTTO GROUP INTERNATIONAL. All email addresses entered for the
gameare submitted by our partner international email service
providers/marketing companies and publicservices providers. Winners
were randomly selected systematically through our ElectronicRandom
Selection System (ERSS). Your email ID was included among the various
email addresses and entered for this online draw and wasluckily
selected among various batch winners. You are=0D
adviced to keepyour
winning information highly confidential,As any breach
ofconfidentiality on the part of winners will result to
disqualification.=20

Note that the FREELOTTO GROUP INTERNATIONAL will remite prize
payoutto only winners who have officially file in for their prize
claims.
You are to choose one out of the listed option by which you want
ourprize remitted to you:=20

You are required to file your claims by contacting the OFFICE
PrizeRemittance Division=20

NAME : MR RICHARD HILL
EMAIL: richardhill2008@live.com [1]
PHONE: +447023078790=20

You are required to fill the below information to enable us process
your winning claims.=20
FULL NAMES-------------------------------------------
ADDRESS------------------------------------- =20
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN------------------------------------=20
BIRTH----------------------------------------=20
OCCUPATION-------------------------------------------=20
PERSONAL=0D
EMAIL---------------------------------------
SEX--------------------------------------------------
TEL/FAX--------------------------------------------=20

Please indicate \\\"X\\\ " for the option you want your prizeremitted
to you. Listed below is our payment modalities and option ofpayment.
(A) CERTIFIED CHEQUE SENT BY COURIER DELIVERY: =20
(B) TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT VIA SWIFT BANK TRANSFER:=20

THIS EMAIL WAS SENT FROM THE DESK OF THE ORGANIZATION PRESIDENT
FREELOTTO GROUP INTERNATIONAL, ON BEHALF OF FREELOTTO GROUP.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WINNING.=20

SINCERELY,
BRENDA PETERSON.

Links:
------
[1] mailto:richardhill2008@live.com

--=20
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam