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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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• 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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "euro million lotto" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",500,000" (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)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: francoandreni@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 00:47:09 -0800 (PST)
Subject: PLS CONTACT YOUR AGENT: YOUR EMAIL ID HAS WON ( EURO MILLION)


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



- FROM THE DESK OF THE CO-ORDINATOR,EURO MILLION LOTTO/PRIZE AWARD.BATCH Nº: LP/0550015/EV,REFERENCE Nº:ES/ILC/1255004/08.Online Award Claim.This is to inform you that your email ID has won TWO MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO (2,500,000.00) ONLY in the first category of our EURO MILLION LOTTERY computer ballot email lottery with the said winning numbers giving below; BATCHNº:LP/0550015/EV,REFERENCE Nº:ES/ILC/1255004/08.EURO MILLIONS LOTTO is rewarding lnternet Users, lnternet Advertisers and practitioners.lt is also aimed at encouraging new users.CONTACT CLAIMS OFFICE/YOUR FIDUCIARY AGENT:Franco Andreni:GROUPAMA SEGUROS,S.C,S.A,C/LARIOS,Nº32-PISO 1º-A-9,2807 MADRID- SPAIN,FAX: 34-911-817 407,Email: franco_andreni@yahoo.com.PLEASE NOTE: Click reply to respond to this mail. While clicking reply,you are writing immediately to FRANCO ANDRENI.You are also advice to provide the following information:Your Full Names, contact Address, Direct Telephone Number.Congratulations!You should respond immediately by Clicking reply.Thank you,Mrs. Roseline Hypia.PROMOTION CO-ORDINATOR.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam