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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:

• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • postcode234@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • postcode31@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Susan Smith <susan@susansmith3.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:08:37 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!


CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
POSTCODE PROMOTION YOUR EMAIL HAVE WON!!!
MICROSOFT WEBSITE INTERNET PROGRAM
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
Boeing Avenue 33
6612 PE Schiphol-Rijk.
The Netherlands.
Ref No: BGL/231NL/86008/06
Batch No: 14/011/IPD
Dear winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the release today the 25th of September 2006,of our POSTCODE PROMOTION Website Internet Program, held on the 1st of September, 2006.
Your personal or company email address attached to ticket number:205-11465886-629 with serial number:3772-99 drew lucky numbers:7-14-17-23-31-44 which consequently won the lottery in the 2nd category.
The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 25,000.000.00 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the Internet. (NO TICKETS WERE SOLD).
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of US$1,000,000.00 (One Million U.S Dollars) in cash credited to file Reference No:BGL/231NL8600/06 This is from a total cash prize of US$2,000.000.00 shared amongst 2 international lucky winners in this category.
you can visit www.lotto.nl
CONGRATULATIONS.
Your fund is now deposited with our Security Department to your name and due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this winning private from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your designated account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claim and unwarranted taking advantage of this programmed by participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 25,000.000.00 companies and individual email addresses from all over the world as part of our international promotions programmed, which takes place every year. We hope, with part of your winning, you will take part in our next year stake of U.S $5million international lottery.
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 2weeks, after this date all unclaimed fund will be returned to the pool as unclaimed.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondence with our claim department.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address, do inform your agent as soon as possible. Anybody under the age of 18 years is automatically disqualified.
To claim your winning provide us the aforementioned information your prize, Winning Numbers, Reference Numbers, Batch Numbers and Bonus Reference Number, your Full Names, current full residential address, Business or Occupation, Private Telephone, Mobile, Fax Numbers and winning prize amounts.
MICROSOFT PROMOTION WEBSITE INTERNET PROGRAM CLAIM AGENT
Mac Tony,
Tel:0031-619-030-375
Fax: 0031-204-886-545
Email: postcode234@hotmail.com /postcode31@aim.com
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional programmed.
Yours Sincerely,
MRS. susan Smith
THE POSTCODE PROMOTION CAOORDINATOR.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam