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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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.
  • smithlawfirm2005@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "freelotto7 freelotto7" <freelotto7@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 10:40:10 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!YOU HAVE WON.

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD
FREE LOTTO COMPANY
HOLLAND HEAD OFFICE
SNELLERWAARDGRACHT 12,
1107 EJ GAASPERDAM, 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
1,000,000.00USD.(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
Email: smithlawfirm2005@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