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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:
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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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!
• 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.
  • sweepstakelotery@i12.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:49:23 +0100
Subject: YOU HAVE JUST WON (US$3, 500, 000.00) PRIZE MONEY.
{CONGRATULATIONS} !!!


Ticket number: {GA44 Y66HB-5855 B4}

We happily announce you the draw of Sweeps Stake Lottery International
program held in London United Kingdom on October 1st 2008, which your e-mail
address attached to ticket number: {GA44 Y66HB-5855 B4} subsequently won you
the lottery in 3rd category winners. You have been therefore approved to
claim the total sum of three million, five hundred thousand United States
Dollars (US$3, 500, 000.00) only.

Note, all participants were selected randomly from world wide web-site,
through computer draw system, extracted from over (120,000.00) individuals
and companies as promotion takes place only for this season before play
coupon begins.

Amount won, is from total cash prize of thirty five million United Stated
dollars (US$35, 000, 000.00) only, organized by Sweeps Stake Lottery
International, shared among the first ten lucky winners in this year coupon
draw, which your lucky winning number falls within our West Africa booklet
representative office in Accra - Ghana as indicated in your play coupon for
claim.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning notification and
information confidential till your claims is processed and your money
remitted to you in whatever manner you wish to claim your prize. This is
part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted
abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned.

You are advised to contact your fiduciary claim agent in Accra - Ghana Mr.
William Hunt, via Email: sweepstakelotery@i12.com with below required
details for your (US$3, 500, 000.00) prize claim.

Full name: -
Full contact address: -
Telephone No.: -
Fax No: -
Sex: -
Age: -
Ticket No.: -

Please contact your claim agent directly: sweepstakelotery@i12.com

Best of Luck,

Amera M. Coleman.

Sweeps Stake Lottery International - {zonal coordinator}

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam