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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
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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.
  • +31611204987 (Netherlands, 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.
  • standardtrust001@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "gate way" <gateway_lotterynl@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2005 12:52:58 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU HAVE WON.

GATEWAY LOTTERY INTL.
P.O Box 1010
Amsterdam, L70 2NB
The Netherlands.
(Customer Services)
Ref: NL/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#1002) of the GATEWAY INTERNATIONAL
LOTTERY & PROMOTION online Sweepstakes program held on 19th September,2005.
It is yet to be unclaimed and you are getting the final NOTIFICATION
regarding this.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serial
number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:03-09-13-35-43-45(bonus no.08), which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$1,000,000(One
Million Dollars) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.

This is from a total cash prize of US$6,000,000 shared amongst the(6)lucky
winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus bonus.
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World
Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000
unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This
promotion takes place once in two years.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet
representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of
this, your US$1,000,000(One Million Dollars) will be released to you by any
of our payment offices in Europe.

Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your funds as soon as you contact the Agency.For security
reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till
your claim 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. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:

Overseas Claims Unit
Standard Trust Agency Bv.
Contact Person: Dr.Benson Van Marke
Email: standardtrust001@netscape.net
TEL: 0031-611-204-987.

For processing and remittance of your cash to a designated account of your
choice. remember,all winnings must be claim not later than OCTOBER 20th
2005, After this date,All unclaimed funds will be returned to the promotion
company.

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and
press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so
desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of
confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems
associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure
to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

At your disposal, we remain.
Very Truly Yours,
Mrs.Rosewisa Bryan,
(promotion manager).



NB: All participants below the age of 18 years old are automatically
disqualified.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam