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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:

• 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:
  • "claims 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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447031916668 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • releasecontact7@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "YAHOO CUSTOMERS SERVICE@YAHOO.COM" <yah0customers3@msn.com>
Reply-To: <releasecontact7@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:02:27 +0000
Subject: (((((((((CONGRATULATIONS)))))))))YOUR EMAIL ID HAS WON A NEW YEAR
YAHOO!BETA LOTTERY 2009!












YAHOO BETA/MICROSOFT INTERNATIONAL AWARD 2008
GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSE!!!
YAHOO BETA /MICROSOFT IS REGISTERED UNDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT(DPA) 1998,PROTECTION POLICY-ICO
(Registration Z720633X).
TO:EMAIL USER:
This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($300,000.00) in this YEAR 2009 YAHOO! Beta Lottery promotion which is organized by YAHOO! BETA LOTTERY INC for the introduction and Launching of the new YAHOO! BETA MAIL which all YAHOO subscribers are required to switch to. YAHOO! & MICROSOFT WINDOWS in conjunction with HOTMAIL, arranged and gathered all the e-mail addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribe at YAHOO!, HOTMAIL and others we only selected THREE (3) candidates as our winners after undergoing the random selection process through Electronic Balloting System (E.B.S), we congratulate you for being one of the people selected.
PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM
Your Payment File is in London,United Kingdom where you can be cleared and paid simultaneously. You are to contact our Uk Location Claims Agent on or before your date of Claim.
YAHOO! Beta Lottery Inc Prize must be claimed not later than 10 days from date of Draw Notification in which Prize has been won.
Note: Any prize not claimed within this period (10 days) will be forfeited.
IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS:
Batch number..................... YBM-EBS-390AF Reff number................... .....YBM-EBS-719AF Winning number...............YBM-EBS- 798AF

These numbers above fall within the Uk agent's Location file, you are requested to contact him and send your Identification Numbers and Personal Information to him;
REVEREND FATHER. ROBERT BISCHOFF
E-MAIL: releasecontact7@gmail.com
PHONE NUMBER: +447031916668
You are therefore advised to send the following information to him to facilitate them and process the transfer of your prize with the appointed paying bank.

Send your Identification Numbers/Your Personal Information to him immediately:
PERSONAL INFORMATION
1. Full name : ...................
2. Country ................... 3. Contact Address...... 4. Telephone Number...5. Marital Status......... 6. Occupation.............. 7. Age..........................
8. Sex...........................


We hope you're enjoying your new Yahoo! Mail account.
Now take the next step and claim your money and say thanks to Yahoo!
You select how to transfer the prize money to you




Cheque Delivery To Your Address


Bank Account Transfer




















NOTE THAT NOBODY EVEN THE APPOINTED BANK HAS THE LAWFUL RIGHT TO TOUCH,DEDUCT OR GET ACCESS TO YOUR WINNING PRIZE/MONEY FOR ANY REASON.THEY HAVE BEEN STRICTLY WARNED !
Past Winners

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam