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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.
  • +31629355505 (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.
  • smithfirm2005@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "freelotto_5 freelotto_5" <freelotto_5@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 09:45:58 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!YOU HAVE WON.

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD
FREE LOTTO COMPANY
HOLLAND HEAD OFFICE
SNELLERWAARDGRACHT 12,
1107 EJ GAASPERaccccDAM, AMSTERDAM,
HOLLAND.
Winner- REF: LP/26510460037/03
BATCH: 24/00319/IPE

Sir/Madam,
AWARD NOTIFICATION



We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today 21/10/05 of your
selection as one of the ten winners of the promotional Free Lotto
Sweepstakes held recently as part of our EXPERIMENTAL BONANZA. You have
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of 1,000,000.000USD.(One
Million Dollars.) We in the Free Lottery Sweepstakes is by this program,

Launching our model computer balloting lottery draws, developed and designed
to satisfy the cravings of the ever-growing number of participants in our
various lottery programs. With funds accrued exclusively from previous
draws, payouts to all winners are guaranteed and will be transferred in
record time.

After randomly selecting 15,000 participants from an initial database of
300,000 emails all participants were selected through a computer ballot
system from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, USA and South
America as part our International Promotions Program, which was conducted in
view of launching ourselves into the Sweepstakes Industry Worldwide and
zoning all participants by their respective continents from across the
globe, we produced an extensive list from which you have emerged as one of
the winners of the Grand Draw prize.

When this programme takes place, email addresses of unknown
individuals(ghost participants) are drawn from all over the world. Their
email addresses are attached to certain numbers. If by chance, a certain
email address(with numbers attached) tallies with some lucky numbers, email
confirmation is being sent to the owners of those addresses. The winnings
addresses are selected with the help of a complicated electronic email
balloting system as earlier stated.

Your funds are now deposited with the Bank and Security Service. You are to
contact our Legal adviser (to free lotto company) by email, phone call or
fax within a week of receiving this notice.



Please find full contact details below:
SMITH LAW FIRM NL
Advocate Mr. Van Der Gooi
Advocate Mrs. G.F Saskia
Dr. Edward Makad
E-mail:smithfirm2005@netscape.net
Tel:+31-629-355-505



In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to
quote your reference
and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with your claims
agent
REF: LP/26510460037/03
BATCH: 24/00319/IPE
Zonal Draw No: HLA2-003
Ticket number 004-5117963-198,
Lucky numbers 05-07-11-12-13-27


1.Winners should send to claim officer account detailed address where they
want their prize paid or
sent.


2.Winners must send their names, address, telephone number and means of
identification (international passport or drivers license)to claim officer,
via email or fax, to process the immediate payment of your prize.



Congratulations once again.



Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Pamela Gumez
The Promotions Manager,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam