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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.

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:
  • "claims 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.
  • libertyseguwin@aim.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Loteria Prize" <loterialuck2006@ozu.es>
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 23:54:04 +0200
Subject: Collect Your Prize


LOTERIA PRIMITIVA,PRIZE DEPARTMENT.
AVENIDA ALCALA-28200 MADRID-SPAIN
REF Nº: EPSL/25003189/SP/06
BATCH Nº:1007581006
Tic. number 2046912-680
Serial number 912-06
Win. numbers 20-48-91-4
Date:02/10/06
Dear Winner,
In view of the yearly sweepstake of the above named organization held on the 30th of September 2006. This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. It is my pleasure to inform you that your e-mail address attached to the above ballot Number came up in the third stake. This invariably means that you have emerged as the prize recipient in the third category with an allocated sum of Five Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Euros (_525,000.00 Euros) in the open ballot device. Be informed that all participants were selected from a random computing ballot system.
For immediate release of your cash prize, kindly contact your claims agent (LIBERTY SEGUROS COMPANY) to enable them help you processing your claim.
LIBERTY SEGUROS COMPANY
MADRID SPAIN
Contact person: Mr.William Lopez
(Foreign Services Manager)
Email: libertyseguwin@aim.com
Tel: 0034 676841702
Note: All prize funds must be claimed before the 10Th of October 2006 after this date all funds will be returned back to the Lottery Company as unclaimed fund.
Congratulations once again.
Yours Faithfully,
Dr. Manfred Santos Garcia
Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam