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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:
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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• 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: Mercedes Benz <mmbenz23@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:42:50 +0000
Subject: IT'S YOURS!!!



FROM: Mercedes Benz Company
OFFICE;776 Chester Road Stretford Manchester M32 0QH England.

Mercedes Benz marked the milestone of its 70th anniversary with a wide range of projects aimed at building a stronger foundation toward great advances in the future. Since some of you out there are die-hard lovers of Mercedes Benz, the Mercedes Benz Company held a promotional draw on the 5th February 2009 for our active and non-active customers online, the results of the promotional draw his official released today and your email address attached to number 00523355670 consequently is among the five luck winners.

CONGRATULATIONS! You and four other luck winners will receive Five Hundred Thousand Euros each. Your personal serial number is 3355660 and you shall receive the give away prize from our paying centre, contact the Regional Coordinator of Mercedes Benz Milestone Promotional Draw Mr. David Bridgman via is official email davidbrigman_mbenz@live.com Provide him

1. Full Name:
2. Address:
3. Telephone number
4. Occupation:
5. Age:
6. Sex:
7. Nationality:

Despite these favorable give out prize, Mercedes Benz Milestone Promotional winners are assured of the safety of their personal data, we have utmost standards of confidentiality and security. Winner you are to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with scams and double claims.

Sincerely Yours.
Hezy Schnitzler

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam