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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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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "arena complex, km 18,route de rufisque" (address often used in fake lottery scams)
  • "route de rufisque" (address often used in fake lottery scams)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "amsterdam holland" (a location commonly mentioned 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 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.
  • eaas@webmail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Laura=20Fredricks?= <lfredricks3@yahoo.com.ve>
Reply-To: eaas@webmail.co.za
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:44:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Congratulations Your Email Has Won You $550,000,00.


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:lfredricks3@yahoo.com.ve

Congratulations Your Email Has Won You $550,000,00.

- FROM, EURO AFRO ASIA SWEEPTAKES LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL AN AFFILIATE OF FOUNDMONEY INTERNATIONAL IPP AWARD DEPT, 580 N.TENTH STREET, SACRAMENTO,CA 85914 ARENA COMPLEX, KM 18,ROUTE DE RUFISQUE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.WINNING NOTIFICATIONWinning Number 433 56 434 77 R 99 We happily announce to you the draw of the Euro - Afro Asian Sweepstakes Lottery International programs held on the 3rd September 2008 in Amsterdam Holland. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: (433 5643477 R99)which subsequently won you the lottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$550,000.00 (five hundred and fifty thousand united states dollars)either cash or cheque. This is from a total cash prize of USD$40,000,000.00 Dollars, shared amongst the winners. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Africa booklet representative in Accra-Ghana as indicated in your coupon.In view of this, your US$550,000.00 (five hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars), will be relased to you by our Affiliate bank with the assistance of our fiduciary agent in Accra-Ghana, either cash or cheque depending how you want your prize. Our Fiduciary agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your winning prize as soon as you contact him. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites and guest books through computer draw system and extracted from over 80,000 individuals and companies. This promotion takes place annually and it is sponsored by Sultan of Brunei, Bill Gates of Microsoft and his associates to encourage the use of internet and computers world wide. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information’s confidential till your claims is processed and your total winning sum is received by you.This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact by email first our fiduciary agent, find below his details: DR. GARRY JOHNSON.Address: Accra GhanaEmail Address: eaas@webmail.co.za Telephone number. 00233-244-016164 .To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, you are to contact the fiduciary agent in Ghana with the followings details below.(1) Your full names.(2 Age.(3 Telephone number.(4) House or Office Address(5) Your winning ticket number.Always quote your Ticket number in any correspondences with us or our designated agent. Winners under 16 years of age will be automatically disqualified. Congratulations, once more from all members and staffs of this program. Thank you for being part of this promotional lottery program. Our special thanks and gratitude to Sultan of Brunei, Bill Gates of microsoft and all his associates.CONTACT YOUR FIDUCIARY AGENT DIRECTLY.Sincerely,MRS Laura Fredericks.ZONAL CO ORDINATOR.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam