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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:
  • "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.
  • +31621548520 (Netherlands, 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.
  • sponsorsgroup01@netscape.net
  • sponsors@rock.com
  • sponsorsgroup01@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "LOTTTERY LOTTO" <sponsorlotto2@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:28:56 +0000
Subject: YOU ARE THE WINNER OF US$500,000.

SPONSORS LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDS DEPARTMENT
REF NO: TLOT/333724560/005
BATCH NO:24/AIS7632/Bacc
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL NOTICE
Our company is pleased to inform you of the result of the GLOBAL SOFTWARE
GROUP SPONSORED LOTTERY which was held on the 19th Of October 2005. Your
name attached to a ticket number 025-146492-750 with serial number 25956-05
drew the lucky numbers 5-24-28-30-39-41 which consequently won the lottery
in the 1st category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout
of US$500,000.00(Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) in cash credited to the
file reference number: TLOT/333724560/005. This is from a total cash prize
of US$14.000,000.00 (Fourteen Million US Dollars) shared among twelve (28)
international winners in this grand category.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your funds is now deposited in a suspense account with
our paying Bank insured to your name waiting remittance into your bank
account.
Due to the privacy policy guiding this lottery promotional programme, we
advice that you keep your award from public notice until your claims has
been processed and your money remitted to your nominated bank account as
this is this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or
unwarranted abuse of this program by the general public.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
25,000 names and E-mail addresses from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe
and North America as part of our international lottery program which we
conduct twice every year. We hope that with part of your prize, you will
part-take next year in our high stakes US$1.3billion International Lottery.
To claim your Prize, please contact your claims agent
**********************************************************
MR.Phil Owens.
TEL: 0031-621-548-520.
E-mail: sponsorsgroup01@netscape.net
Alternative Email: sponsors@rock.com
Foreign Services Manager, Payment Process and Release Order Department,
**********************************************************
for processing and remittance of your prize funds into your designated bank
account.
Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later than 30th November,
2005. After this date all funds will be returned as unclaimed for the next
sweepstake.
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please endeavour to
quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence with us or
your claims agent.
Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform your
claims agent as soon as possible. Congratulations once again from all
members of our staff and thanks for being part of our promotional program.
Regards,
Mrs. Patricia Walker.
(Lottery Co-ordinator)
E-mail: sponsorsgroup01@netscape.net

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam