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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:
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• 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.
  • drwilliam1249@yahoo.com
  • petersmith1249@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: Dr william William <drwilliam1249@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: officeauditors1@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:48:04 -0800 (PST)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: drwilliam1249@yahoo.com

DR W. WILLIAM

- YOUR PERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS OR COMPANY EMAIL WAS ATTACHED TO.WITH SERIAL NUMBER S/N-00221, AND CONSEQUENTLY WON IN THE FIRST LUCKY 9 WINNER'S LOTTERY CATEGORY.YOU ARE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED TO CLAIM THE LUMP SUMS OF $3. MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLERS. (THREE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLERS) PAYABLE IN CASH CREDITED TO FILE REF NO: MSWL/200-21067.THIS IS FROM TOTAL SuM OF $30 MILLION USD SHARED AMONG THE 10 LUCKY INTERNATIONAL WINNERS IN FIRST AND SECOND CATEGORY.CONTACT MR. PETER SMITH IN HIS EMAIL ID:petersmith1249@yahoo.com AND RECONFIRM YOUR NAME, CONTACT ADDRESS,PHONE NUMBER,AGE AND OCCUPATION

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam