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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)
  • "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 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.
  • +34655375454 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: MRS
Reply-To: union_finance205@zwallet.com
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:55:53 +0200
Subject: LOTTERY AWARD NOTIFICATION



FROM THE DESK OF MANAGINE DIRECTOR
CLAIM FILE NUMBER: EG/008045160027
MADRID: 20/10/2005

BATCH NUMBER: 100000488

AWARD NOTIFICATION
FINAL NOTICE



We are pleased to inform you today 20th day of
NOV, 2005 for the release of the SPANISH
SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY / INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM Held on
the 18th of october 2005. Your name attached to the ticket
number 025-11-464-992-750 drew the lucky number 134-15-16-21-34-36 which
consequently won thelottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore been
approved for a lump sum pay of US$950,950.00 ( NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY ) in cash
credited to file NO: EG/008045160027.
This is From A Total Cash Prize of
US$25,756.820.00 ( TWENTY FIVE
MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX THOUSAND,
EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS ONLY ) shared
Among International Winners In This category
CONGRATULATIONS.

Your fund is now deposited with a finance company
insured to your name.
please note that your claim and batch numbers are
the key to your funds, You are to keep this as a
top confidential until your claim has been
processed and your money remitted to your bank
account as this is part of our protocol to avoid
double claiming or unwarranted taking of an
advantage of this program by participants.

All Participants were selected through a computer
ballot system drawn
from 25,000 names from Europe and America as part
of our international promotions program which we
conduct twice every year. We hope with a part of
your prize you will take part in our next high
stake USD1.3 BILLION INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim
agent MR.JOHN SMITH, the foreign Service manager
UNION SECURITY & FINANCE COMPANY
TEL:+34-655375454 FAX:+34-940463988 :union_finance205 for
processing and transfer of your prize money to a designated bank account
of your choice.
Remember all prize money must be claimed not
latter than 28th novermber 2005.
After this date, all funds will be return to the
Ministerio De economia
y Hacienda as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delay and
complications, please
remember

to quote your reference and batch numbers in every
of your
correspondence with us or your agent, furthermore,
should there be any change of address, Do notify
your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all members of our
staff and thank you for
being a part of our promotion program.



Sincerely,


MRS.BLANCO LOPEZ


DIRECTOR

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam