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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:
  • ",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)
• 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.
  • bexcourierdeliverydepartment_03@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: bexcourierdeliverydepartment_04@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:37:42 -0000 (UTC)
Subject:




This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL LOTTERY BALLOT
INTERNATIONAL / WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 19TH OF OCTOBER,2008.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of £1,000,000:00
Only(ONE MILLION GREAT BRITISH POUNDS ONLY) in cash.

LOTTERY APPROVED PAYMENT CENTER:

Name of courier: BEXPRESSCOURIER DELIVERY SERVICE COMPANY
Name of The Dispacth Ofiicer: DR JAMES CRUZ

Email: bexcourierdeliverydepartment_03@hotmail.com

THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE BENEFICIARY FROM STATED FORM FOR
VERIFICATION BEFORE TRANSFER.

FULL NAMES:.....CONTACTADDRESS:..CITY/STATE:......
COUNTRY:......NATIONALITY:........SEX:........
AGE:....MARITAL STATUS..single....TEL
NO:.....................NEXT OF KIN:........OCCUPATION....

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you forbeing
part of our promotional program.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam