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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary 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.
  • +34630605071 (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.
  • worldroyconsut@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: ROYAL SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY <royal_spanishto@wanadoo.es>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:42:11 +0200
Subject: EMAIL AWARD NOTIFICATION 2005(CONGRATULATION)


ROYAL SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
CALLE GRANVIA 32N 1C MADRID SPAIN
REF: RSSL/61-ILGI0509/45
BATCH:RSSL/15/096/WRCS
RE: WINNING FINAL NOTIFICATION

Dear Winner,

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw of the Royal spanish Sweepstake Lottery International programs held on the 14th August 2005 in Madrid Spain.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 212005600545 188 with Serial number 4888/02 drew the lucky numbers: 41-6-76-13-45-8, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of €1,000,000.00(One million Euro) in cash credited to file KPC/9080333308/03.This is from a total cash prize of Ten Million Euro(10 million Euro), shared amongst the first Tenth (10th) lucky winners in this category.Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Madrid booklet representative office in Spain as indicated in your play coupon.In view of this, your €1,000,000.00(One million Euro) would be released to you by our security firm in Madrid,Spain.Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies. This promotion takes place annually. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:

Mr Jeff Carlos

World Royal Consultancy And Security Madrid Spain.

Tel :+34-630-605-071

Email: worldroyconsut@netscape.net

For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice.Remember,You are to contact our agents by email and within a week of receiving this notice.After this date, all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed.

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications,please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent.Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.

Yours Sincerely,
Wilfred Alberto
Lottery Director.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam