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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:

• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +31616694927 (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.
  • harold_brooj@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Manchester United Football Lottery" <john_lottery@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 00:31:31 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATIONS!!!

LOTTERY NATIONALE
VANBUNDA 18, 1529 HD,
LEEUWARDEN,
NETHERLANDS.
FILE REFERENCE NO: PP2005-011-MLI
BATCH: 1605/005NL
TO WINNERS IN OUR PROGRAM,
We wish to congratulate you over your success in our computer balloting
sweepstake held on 10th october 2005. This is a scientific computer game in
which email addresses were used.
It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users;
therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. However, your email
address was attached to ticket number 162-3471913; with ref number CBG-19074
draw the lucky numbers 1-9-74-31, which eventually won the lottery in the
first category of the draws.
This entitled to a cash award of $1, 500,000.00 (ONE MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND USD). This is from total prize money of
US$30,000,000.00 distributed to winners from 1st to 3rd categories.
Note that this program was promoted and sponsored by a group of
industrialists from the internet ware industry.
To begin your claim, please send your ticket number, your names, lucky
numbers and ref number to the claims coordinator:
Harold Brookes
Email address: harold_brooj@hotmail.com
TEL: +31 616 694 927
Yours Faithfully,
Evelyn Hugh

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam