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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +2348037476504 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • tinap_lottery@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: tinap_lottery@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:18:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: TINAPA LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL..


TINAPA LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL..
Ref No: 12/0078/IPG
Serial Number;31270-0
Batch No: EGS/20054117/08
Lucky No: 05-06-12-14-38
Ticket Number: 021 - 72760783-04
=A0
Dear Sir/Madam,
=A0
!! C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S,
YOU HAVE WON FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS
(USD$500,000.00)!!We are delighted to inform you of your prize which was re=
leased from the Tinapa International Lottery Program, which is fully based =
on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses from
various sites.
=A0
Your email address was attached to Ticket Number: 021 - 72760783-04 and Ser=
ial Number: 31270-0. This batch draws the lucky numbers as
follows.05-06-12-14-38 which consequently won the lottery in the second cat=
egory. You hereby have been approved a lump sum pay of (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSA=
ND DOLLARS).( $500,000.000) In cash credit file ref: 12/0078/IPG from the t=
otal cash prize shared among eight lucky winners in this category.
=A0
All lucky winners were selected through a computer balloting system
draw from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, Un=
ited States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our i=
nternational promotion programme which is conducted annually.
=A0
This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some
multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citiz=
ens in the communities where they have an operational base. Your prize of U=
S $ 500,000,00 will be released to you from this regional branch office in =
AFRICA to your account number.
And you are to note that your prize is insured. There will never be
any deduction whatsoever from your insured prize. We the Tinapa lotto
agency, insured your prize at the United Trust Bank, Nigeria. We hope that =
with part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high Stake=
for US $ 1.5 Billion international draw.
=A0
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE:
Please contact the Agent immediately, So that your insured prize will
be transfered to you. E-mail: (tinap_lottery@yahoo.com)
Contact person; DR, James Dalton
Phone number;+2348037476504
Send him the following informations,to claim your money

1. Your full names......................
2. Telephone number.....................
3. Occupation...............................
4. Age..................................
5. Address....................................
6. Ref No....................................
7.Country.....................................
8.Ticket Number:...............
=A0
Congratulations ones again on your winning! Please do not reply to this
Email again. Contact your claim agent.
=A0
ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TODISQ=
UALIFICATION. THANK.
=A0
Dr.James Dalington
LOTTERY COORDINATOR
=A0=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam