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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.

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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!
• 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.
  • +32486837355 (Belgium, prepaid 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.
  • communicationdirection@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "EURO LOTTERY BELGIUM" <ezesmith@lotery.zzn.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 15:47:06 -0400
Subject: YOUR FEBRUARY WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!

EURO LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL BELGIUM.
1,000,000.00 EURO EACH FOR 10 WINNERS
Ref. Number: IMFD 044/576/577/7D Batch Number: 5455-98774-FG 7K
Serial number: 6774-582
Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you about the result of the Winners of
International

Lottery programs BRUGGE held on the 15th of February, 2006. Your e-mail
address attached to ticket number 007686605- with serial number
6774-582 drew lucky
numbers 7-16-98-22-20-45 which consequently won in the 1st category.
You have

therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of 1,000,000.00 (Euros)
(One
Million Euros) in cash credited to file REF NUMBER IMFD
044/576/577/7D.This is from total prize money of 10,000,000.00 (Euro) shared
among
10 winners.
Info for International Winners in This Category.
Due to the mixed up of some numbers and name's we ask that you keep
your
Winning information confidential until your claims has been processed
and
your money Remitted to you. This is part of our security Protocol. To
avoid
double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some
participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn.
>From over 20,000 companies and 30,000,000 individual emails addresses
and names from all over the world.
This promotional program takes place every Five Years. This lottery was
promoted by the software corporation to compensate some few individuals
with websites and email addresses, we hope that with Part of your
winning you will take part in our next year EURO 50MILLION
International lottery.
FILLING FOR YOUR CLAIM
To file for your Claim, please contact our
CLAIM MANAGER. Mr Smith Eze
TEL: +32486837355
Email : communicationdirection@yahoo.co.uk
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 30th of March,
2005.
After this date all unclaimed funds will be forwarded to charity =
organisations (NGO).
PLEASE NOTE:
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications Please remember
to
quote your REFERENCE NUMBER and your BATCH NUMBER in all
Correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do Inform our agent
as
soon as possible or contact Mr Smith Eze.
Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified
Congratulations once more and thank you for being part of our
promotional program.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. ROBERT JOHNSON.
(Lottery Coordinator)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam