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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:
  • ",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 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.
  • mrstevewilson003@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Nguyen Thi Hong Van" <ntvan@mic.gov.vn>
Reply-To: mrstevewilson003@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:22:47 +0700
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS,YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS EMEREGED A WINNER !!!

GUINNESS HOUSE
HOUGHTON STREET ,LONDON,
WC2A 2AE, UNITED KINGDOM.


Date:21-03-2009

GUINNESS STOUT NEW YEAR GREAT INTERNET AWARENESS PROMOTIONS 2009.

Attention.


We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded 2009 New
Year draws held on the 16th of MARCH 2009 by GUINNESS EXTRA STOUT
Worldwide Internet Awareness Promotion, your email was among the 5 lucky
winners who won GBP (One Million Great British Pounds) £1,000,000.00 each
on the GUINNESS COMPANY.


However, the results were released today 21st of MARCH 2009 and your
email was attached to winning number (GUI45856CS89) and ballot number
(BN: 6220914657/HBZ-T). The E-mail address of the participants legible
for this award were subscribes from Yahoo,Hotmail and other E-mail
service providers worldwide.

In other to claim your GBP £1,000,000.00 winning prize, However, you will
have to fill the form below and send it to the Promotion manager of
Guinness Worldwide Internet Awareness Lottery Company for verification
and then you will be directed on how you can claim your won prize as it
has already been deposited in your favour.


NAMES:
AGE:
SEX:
MARITAL STATUS:
HOME ADDRESS:
COUNTRY:
MOBILE PHONE:
OCCUPATION:

Completely fill the form above and send it immediately to our promotion
manager through email for prompt collection of your fund using the
contact details below:

CONTACT:
Name: Mr Steve Wilson
(PROMOTION MANAGER)

EMAIL: ID: mrstevewilson003@hotmail.com

Yours faithfully,

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hong Van
(Secretary)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam