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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • luckyday2007@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: LUCKYDAY LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL <luckyday2006@netscape.net>
Reply-To: luckyday2007@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 00:31:53 +0100
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION


LUCKYDAY LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
58c Morat Street, SW9 0RR
London-UK
From The Desk of: The Vice President,
International Promotions/ Prize Award.
Ref: LD401ABJ/05
Batch: LD836/05
WINNING NOTIFICATION
This is to inform you of the release of the email lottery ballot draw held on
the 26th of September 2005. Although due to the mix up of numbers, the results
were released on the 30th of September 2005.
Congratulations. Your email address drew the lucky numbers of 11-8-9, which
consequently won £500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in this
year?s email lottery ballot in the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of £500,000.00 ( Five
Hundred Thousand Pounds) in cash credited to file with ref number LD401ABJ/05.
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning
information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money
paid to you.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted
abuse of this program by some participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from only
Microsoft users from over 20,000 company, and 3,000,000 individual email
addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes
place every three years.
To begin your lottery claim, please contact the processing company that has been
appointed
for the processing of your winning. Please call the claiming agent; Dr. Ben
Cole, the Foreign Operation Manager of the appointed company, LUCKYDAY LOTTERY
INTERNATIONAL UK Branch office on Tel: 0044-788-145-4005.
Email: (luckyday2007@netscape.net)
Call him immediately for the processing and remittance of your winning prize
Money to any
destination of your choice.
Any claim not made before two weeks from this date will be returned to the
Global Lottery International. Note that all unclaimed funds will be included in
the next stake.
Also in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, remember to quote
your reference number and batch numbers in all your correspondence with Dr. Ben
Cole and
please follow all his instructions religiously.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon
as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and you are lucky for being
part of our promotional program.
Anybody under the age of 20 is automatically disqualified.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs.Sandra Platt
International Promotions/ Prize Award,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam