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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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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:
  • "million us 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)
  • ",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)
  • "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.
  • +6285888596089 (Indonesia, probably a 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.
  • yamahanov@yahoo.co.id

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: yamahanov@yahoo.co.id
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:54:44 +0200
Subject: *****CONGRATULATION YOU WON****

Muara Baru Ujung
Block G1-2. City,
Indonesia.

Ref: IF/9840X2/07
Batch: 054/46/OC369

We happily announce to you the draw (#1005) of the Yamaha Lottery Online
Sweepstakes International program held on the 28th of November 2008,of which
you emerged a winner. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:188 with
Serial number: 5748/04 drew the lucky numbers which subsequently won you the

lottery in the 1st category.You have therefore been approved to claim a
total
sum of $1,000,000.00 (One nbMillion US Dollars)in cash credited to
fileKTL/9123418308/03 All participants for the online version were selected
randomly from WorldWideWeb sites through computer draw system and extracted
from over100,000 unions and corporate bodies listed online.

This promotion takes place annually for security reasons you are advised to
keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and
your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit 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.

To file your claims, please contact our agent:

Mr Bo Lee
Universal Trust Inc.
Email:yamahanov@yahoo.co.id
Tel:+6285888596089

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being
part of our promotional program. Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is
automatically disqualified.

Ms.Ann Hooper
Online coordinator.
C2008 Yamaha Corporation

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam