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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 director" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • +34693492239 (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.
  • reg.awardept08@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "ventura" <admin@ventura24bl.com>
Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 00:12:57 +0200
Subject: UPDATE!!!

UPDATE!!!
VENTURA24 BL.DRAWS HEADQUARTERS
Lott Winners of 1,500,000.00 Euros
Ref. Number: ES/BC7965468/WW16
Coupon Number: NM/896165/WOP
category: 1st quarter lott Draws 2008

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of the winner of the VENTURA24 DRAWS
PROGRAMS held on the 28th of April 2008.Your Company or your personal e-mail address is
attached to winning number 20-01-2005-02MSW, with serial number S/N-00168 which drew the
lucky numbers 887-13-865-37-10-83,and consequently won in the first quarter international lott
category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of One Million Five Hundred
Thousand EUROS 1,500,000.00) in cash credited to file REF NO:ES/BC7965468/WW16 and
Coupon NO.NM/896165/WOP

To claim your winning prize,contact the processing department by email or call for processing
and remittance of your prize money to
you.

Your assigned claims Director contact is:
Mr. Reggie Martinez
Claims processing officer
Ventura24 BL Draws.
TEL: +34-693-492-239
FAX: +34-917-903-742
Email: reg.awardept08@gmail.com

All prize money should be claimed on or before the 24th of May 2008.

Please remember to quote your reference and coupon numbers as well as your full names and
address in all correspondences with your claims director.

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Maggi Romero
Ventura24 BL Draws Headquarters.
ESPAÑA.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam