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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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.

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.
  • +34654665659 (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.
  • vigentseguros100@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "info mailer" <infomailersec86@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 14:13:38 +0000
Subject: YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON A LOTTERY


FROM: THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDS DEPARTMENT
BONO LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
www.loteria.com

REF Nº: VGS/001/3411
BATCH Nº:3399/044/ES
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL
NOTICE

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the BONO LOTTERY
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM which was held on 30th August, 2005. Due to mix up of
names, the results were finally released on 20th Oct.2005.Your email address
is attached to a ticket number770-010-625-900 with serial
number-KZN/E/SA/NO.-233600 drew the lucky numbers 09-11-22-75-10 which
consequently won the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of 450.000:00 Euros
(Four Hundred And Fifty Thousand Euros) in cash credited to the file
reference number:VGS/001/3411 .This is from a total cash price of
2.500.000:00EUROS(four Million Five HundreThousand
EUROS) shared among Ten(10) international winners in this grand category.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Your winning prize of 450.000:00 (four Hundred And Fifty Thousand Euros
Only) is now deposited in a suspense account with our paying office and
insured to its real value.
Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we advice that you keep this
award from public notice until your claims has been processed and your money
remitted to your nominated bank account as this is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this
program by the general public.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
2,500,000:00 names and E-mail addresses from Asia, Australia, New Zealand,
Europe and North America as part of our international promotions program
which we conduct thrice every year. We hope that with part of your prize,you
will part-take in our (end of years) high stake promotions agenda of E1,2
million international lottery.

To claim your Prize, you are advice to contact the Claim Department of
VIGENT SEGUROS S.L with your Full Name , Home and Office Tel & Fax Number,
Mobile Phone Number and also Home & Office Address for the processing of
your claims along with your Ref & Batch No and also your copy of
yourindentification.
************************************************************************************************************
MR.FRANK VIGO
Foreign Service Manager
(vigent Seguros S.L).
Tel:+34 654 665 659
E-mail: vigentseguros100@netscape.net
************************************************************************************************************
Be informed that before the paying office will effect payment of your
winning prize of 450.000:00Euros (four Hundred AndFifty Thousand Euros Only)
your winning documents(International clearance certificate,Award
WinningCertificate, Certificate of Deposit,) covering your winning prize
must be legalised in the Court and Minsitry of Justice here in Spain.

This is in accordance with the Spainish Lottery Board since after september
11,2001. For processing and remittance of your prize funds into your
designated bank account.Your claims agent will assist you in the processing
and remittance of your prize funds into your designated bank account.
Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later than 5th of Nov. 2005.
After this date all funds will be returned as unclaimed for the next
sweepstake. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
endeavor 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 ourstaff and thanks for being part of our promotions program.

Best Regards,

MRS.SUSANNA JOSE.
(PROMOTION MANAGER)
BONO LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam