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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
  (+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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • agenciapremia@starspath.com

Fraud email example:

From: CARLOS GOMEZ <puntoganado@terra.com>
Reply-To: puntoganador@terra.com
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 19:35:10 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS !!!


INTERNATIONAL LOTTO COMMISSION BOARD
THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
THE INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
CALLE SAN BERNANDO S/N 28009 MADRID.

REF:LP/26510460037/05
BATCHNO:24/00319/IPD
7th october, 2005.
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE.
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the la primitiva Spanish sweepstake lottery International Promotion program held on the 5th of october, 2005.
Your name, attached to ticket number 033-1146993-750 with serial number 1223-05 draw the number 02 – 06 – 20 – 24 – 29 – 32 which consequently won the lottery in 1st category. You are therefore been approved for a lump sum of US$946,000.00 (NINE HUNDRED & FOURTY SIX THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) in cash credited to file ref: LP/26510460037/05.This is from the total cash prize of USD $5,368,770.00 (FIVE MILLION THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND,SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY US DOLLARS ONLY).This sum were shared among the seventeen international winners in the first,
second and third category.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names/email addresses of individuals and companies from Asia, Australia, America, Africa, New Zealand, Europe and Middle East, as part of our International promotions program. Your
fund is now deposited with the finance company and insured in your name, Due to mixed up of some numbers and names we ask that you keep this award a top secret from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account as this is
part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming of unwarranted taking of advantage of this program by participants. To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent:
MR. MANUEL GARCIA SANTILLANA
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
SEGURO FINANZAS S.R.L.
Email: agenciapremia@starspath.com
Tel No.: 0034 678221217
For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. All prize money must be claimed not later than six weeks from the date of this notice. After this date, all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y
HACIENDA as unclaimed.
Note: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch number in every of your correspondence with us or your agent. Further more, should you have any change of address or questions do inform your claims
official as soon as possible.
Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for being a part of our promotion program.
Yours faithfully,
CARLOS GOMEZ
Vice President.
Pls. do not respond to this notification. All response should be directed to the claim agent.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam