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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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.
  • deutscheambbank@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Australia Lottery System Inc." <australialottery@mails.de>
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 04:31:35 -0900
Subject: Claim your prize.

Australian Lottery. NSW Lotteries Corporation, 2 Figtree Drive, Homebush Bay NSW 2127 Dear Sir/Madam, CONGRATULATIONS: YOU WON €2,000,000.00. This is to inform you of the result of Australian Lottery, which was held on the 22nd, Septemder 2006. Your e-mail address attached to prize winning number: 648 2 3 16 34 36 42 45 and supplementary number: 37 38 drew a prize of €2,000, 000.00 (Two Million Euros). This l ucky draw came first in the 2nd Category of the Sweepstake. You will receive the sum of €2,000,000.00 (Two Million Euros) from our authorized bank in Netherlands. Because of some mix-up with our sweepstake numbers and prizes, plus the time limited placed on the payment of your prize: €2,000, 000.00, we advice that you keep all information about this prize confidential until your funds: €2,000,000.00 have been transferred to you by the authorized bank in The Netherlands. You must adhere to this instruction, strictly, to avoid any delay with the release of your funds to your person. This program has been abused severally in past, so we are doing our best to forestall further occurrence of past mix-ups. This sweepstake was conducted under the watchful eyes of 16,000 spectators. Your e-mail address attached to prize winning number: 648 2 3 16 34 36 42 45 was selected and; it came first through a "SPECIAL" e-ballot draw from over 450,000 e-mail addresses (personal and corporate e-mail addresses). This program is sponsored by NSW Lotteries to compensate faithful internet suffers around the globe. Congratulations for becoming one of the few lucky winners. With your permission, your e-mail will also be included in the next sweepstake of $9Million. You must claim your prize: €2,000,000.00 not later than 10-days from the moment you receive this e-mail. In order to avoid unnecessary delays with your claim from our authorized bank; please contact them immediately, and quote your winning and personal information now. Here is their contact information: Bank: Deutsche Amro Bank. Contact person: John Hawkins. Vice President: Interest Rate and Currency. Tel: 0031 616 293 431. Fax: 0031 847 134 206 . E-mail address: deutscheambbank@aim.com Furnish them with the following: (i). your name(s), (ii) Your telephone and fax numbers (iii) Your contact address (iv) Your winning information (including amount won). Congratulations. Yours to serve, Jean-Claude Chirane. Director: Australian Lottery.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam