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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:
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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:

• 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.
  • vickpauline@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "fred walter" <fred-walter2006@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 03:58:04 +0000
Subject: YOUR EMAIL WINNING CONFIRMATION NOTICE

LINK-STRIDE EURO LOTTERY GAMING COMMISSION.
AV 5 CASTILLA MADRID SPAIN

FROM:LINK-STRIDE AWARD DEPT.
REF: SUN/2010-968091/03
BATCH: 54/010/IPD
DATE: 014/10/2005
RE: YOUR EMAIL WINNING CONFIRMATION NOTICE


We are glad to inform you that your E-mail address
appearsas the confirmed Winner of our last LINK-STRIDE
EURO email lottery program held on the 28thSeptember,
2005.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number
20675543256-786 with Serial number 3765-75 drew lucky
numbers 7-12-18-24-32-45, which Consequently
won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been
approved For a lump sum payment of Five
hundred thousand united state dollars(US$5,000.000).

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
13th of Novermber, 2005.

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 Mrs.Vick
Pauline on vickpauline@yahoo.com
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.

Mr. Fred Walter.
Global Winning co-ordinator


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam