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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:
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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:

• 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:
  • "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 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.
  • +34692957743 (Spain, 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.
  • vartclaimagency@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "loteria primitiva" <prilott44@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: vartclaimagency@aim.com
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:12:12 +0100
Subject: CLAIM NOTIFICATION

CLAIM NOTIFICATION
LOTERIA PRIMITIVA
Promotion SL,
28044, Madrid
Spain.

Dear Winner,

Congratulations to you as we bring to your notice the
result of Loteria Primitiva Free promotion. We are happy to
inform you that your email address have emerged a
winner of Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euros
(550,000.00) Euros.
NOTE: to file for your claim, please contact the claim agency
below on email.

***********************************************
Office: Vart Claim Agency
Mr. Alex Dimas,
Address: P.O. Box 3051 3500GA Bailen 31 28005 Madrid Spain.
Tel. : +34-692-957-743
Email : vartclaimagency@aim.com
**********************************************


Find below your promotion date, Ticket and Prize Winning
numbers. Remember to quote these numbers in your
correspondence with your claims agent Mr. Alex Dimas
PROMOTION DATE: 19th Febuary 2007
PRIZE WINNING NUMBER: SLEU/5331/5436/07
EMAIL TICKET NUMBER: 19/00543/IPF
Kindly send the following information:
(i) Your full names,
(ii) Contact telephone and fax numbers
(iii) Contact Address
(iv) Your winning numbers
(v) Quote amount won.

Congratulations once again from all our staff and
thank you for being part of our promotions program.

Warm Regards,
Dr. Clarion Fabian.
Director, Award Distribution Center.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam