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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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.

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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "deadline" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +34636910406 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • winningaproval@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS. MARTA SANCHEZ" <claimreps@zwallet.com>
Reply-To: winningaproval@netscape.net
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 14:05:51 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION


EL GORDO SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY COMPANY S.L
PLAZA DE ESPAÑA, 28001 GRANVIA - MADRID, SPAIN.
TEL: +34-636-910-406

FROM: THE DESK OF MANAGING DIRECTOR.
CLAIM FILE NUMBER: 2113-05
REF: NUMBER: EGS/2551256003/05
BATCH NUMBER :14/0017/IPD
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you of release of the EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA PROGRAM held on10th of October, 2005 and result was officially announced on the 15th of October2005.
Among the 25 participating international finalists playing 6000 full tickets in the fifth series, from a pool of €38,696,000.75c (THIRTY EIGHT MILLION SIX HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX THOUSAND EUROS SEVENTY FIVE CENT) in cash, your serial number 2113-05 with ticket number 025-11464992-750 drew the lucky numbers 16-19-23-36-39-41 which consequently won a prize in the 1st category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of € 1,547,000.87c (One Million Five Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Euros Eighty Seven Cents) in cash credited to a file ref. Nº 2113 - 05.
Congratulations!!!!!.
Due to the impossibility to reach you, your fund and file has been deposited with a security company registered to your file claim number and insured in your name. Please forward all claims to them as a bond has been placed on your award and they will be responsible for handling and remittance of won prices until they are accurately disbursed. The deadline for this notice is the 30th of November, 2005. Non-compliance within this period may result in disqualification and insured prizes will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. Due to mixed up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your nominated account, as this is a part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted advantage of this program by participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25.000 names from USA, New Zealand, Europe, south America, Australia, Middle East, Africa and Asia as part of our international Promotions Program. We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in subsequent programs.
To begin your claim, please contact DR. CARLOS LOPEZ, Foreign operation manager of GLOBAL LINK SECURITIES CLAIM REPRESENTATIVES S.L at E-mail: winningaproval@netscape.net or TEL:+34-636-910-406 for handling and payment procedures.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your claim file number and reference numbers in every of your correspondence with us or your agent Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible. Also note that you are to pay in return ten percent (10%) of the money you received to the GLOBAL LINK SECURITIES CLAIM REPRESENTATIVES S. L. after which you have received the money in your designated account in your country.
Congratulations!!! Once again from all the staff and thank you for choosing the Spanish Int'l Lotto commission.

Sincerely:
MRS. MARTA SANCHEZ
P .R. O

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam