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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.

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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")
• 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.
  • +31649212772 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "1inf_natpost@go.com" <1inf_natpost@go.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:01:15 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Your Email Won The Lottery!


FROM: THE DESK OF THE LOTTO CHANCELLOR,INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,REF: REF:JKM/247870460037/05BATCH: 95/87489/HGYATTENTION:
RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION: We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, 20th October,2005 of winners of the NATIONALE POSTCODE LOTERIJ, PROGRAMS AMSTERDAM held on 29th September,2005 through computer ballot system Your company/You email,is attached to ticket number 873-1887-140-279, with serial number 5073-10 drew the lucky numbers 42-23-78-45-01-72, and consequently won the lottery in the first category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$1.5 Million in cash credited to file REF:JKM/247870460037/05. This is from total prizemoney of US$90,000,000.00 shared among the seventeen international winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn form 25,000 names from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe,North America, Asia, and Africa as part of International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.
CONGRATULATIONS! Your fund is now deposited with a Finance House insured in your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.We hope with a part of you prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes US$1.0 Billion Netherlands International Lottery. To begin your claim, please contact our International claim agent/ financial Consultant:Mr Steve Kingemail:stevkinconsul@netscape.netTel:+31-64-92-12-772FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER/CONSULTANT,
For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 10th December, 2005. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondenceswith your agent.Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claim's agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.
Sincerely,Mrs Cecilia VriesTHE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,NATIONALE POSCODE LOTERIJ.N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on thepart of the winners will resultto disqualification.
THANKS FOR WINNING.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam