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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million british pounds" (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!

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?David=20James?= <david7james7766@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: david44james_44@live.com
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:25:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Attention Winner,


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:david7james7766@yahoo.com.co



- Attention Winner, Your e-mail id was cellected through the computer ballot system,a winner of our microsoft online lottery program. You have to contact your claim agent for your payment process. Cliam Agent: Dr DAVID JAMES, david44james_44@live.com Forward to him your claim details below; Ref No.micro234kj20080808. Batch number: msn222. Lucky No.: 1 8 13 22 27 38 41. Security code: 676 Amount Won: £ 1 000 000 00 (one million british pounds)You have to contact him not later than Five working days. One more time congratulations. Regards, Smith Rueben.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam