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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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.
  • lotto174promo@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mrs.m.martiez" <lotto174promo@netscape.net>
Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 16:10:02 +0200
Subject: Congratulation


FROM:SUNSWEETWIN/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
REF: SUN/2010-968091/03
BATCH: 54/010/IPD
DATE 4/10/2005
WINNING CONFIRMATION NOTICE
We are glad to inform you that your E-mail address appears as the confirmed
Winner of our last SUNSWEETWIN email lottery program held on the 30 of
September2005 .
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 20675543256-786 with Serial
number 4765-75 drew lucky numbers 8-12-18-24-32-45, which Consequently won
in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved For a lump sum payment
of Eight hundred thousand united state dollars(US$800,000,00).
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
This promotional program takes place every year. All participants were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000 companies
and 50,000, 000 individual email addresses and names from all over the
world.
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to
quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.We ask
that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has
been processed and your money remitted to you. Remember all winnings must be
claimed not later than 25th October. After this date all unclaimed funds
will be included in the next stake.
To file for your claim or for further details, please contact our agent.
MR. F. James at lotto174promo@netscape.net In respect of our commitment
towards helping the less previledge, we ask that you voluntarily contribute
1% of your Global winnings to any charity organization you desire at your
convinience.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff.
Mrs. m.martiez

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam