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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:

• 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.
  • +447011140026 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Goodluck Khumalo <goodkhu002@yahoo.pl>
Reply-To: pga231@hotmail.co.uk
Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:16:00 GMT
Subject: Update....




Dear Winner=2C

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of =A3=
500=2C000=2E00 and a brand new Peugeot 407 Car=2CFrom the International=
online programs held on the 03/10/2008 in London the United Kingdom=2E=

=

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact=3A
Sir Ray Stanwood=2C
Email=3A pga101=40live=2Ecom
Tel=3A +447011140026

You are also advised to provide him with the following information as pa=
rt of the claim requirements as soon as possible=3A

Name=3A
Sex=3A
Occupation=3A
Age=3A
Country=3A
Telephone=3A =

Address=3A

Congratulations once again!
With Best Regards
Mr=2E Dominic Gerard
Lottery Manager=2E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam