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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
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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:
  • "fiduciary 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.
  • +31650466094 (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.
  • johnhenry@box.az

Fraud email example:

From: "Grand Lotto" <grand_lotto1@msn.com>
Reply-To: johnhenry@box.az
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 17:02:22 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION / FINAL NOTICE

GRAND INTERNATIONAL LOTTO
BURDENSTRAAT 21B
2053 DS AMSTERDAM
REF: 241918906-076
BATCH: 00189/04

WINNING NOTIFICATION / FINAL NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the of the Grand International
Lottery programs held on the 23rd of October 2005. Your e-mail address
attached to ticket number 241918906-076 with game Number 54568 drew lucky
numbers 16,18,29,33,37,42 which consequently won. You have therefore been
approved for a lump sum pay out of 1,200,000.00 Euro (One Million, Two
hundred Thousand Euros)
CONGRATULATIONS!!

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
over 100.000 company and 1.000.000 individual email addresses and names from
Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe North and south America, Oceania
and around the world. To file for your claim, please contact your fiduciary
agent;
Mr.John Henry,
Capital Security Services
Amsterdam Holland;
Tel: + 31 6504 66094
Emails: johnhenry@box.az

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your Winning
information confidential until your claims have been processed. This is part
of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of
this program by some participant.

Please, note that you will be required to pay for the issuance of your
winning certificate. Be notified also that all winnings must be claimed in
two weeks. After this date all unclaimed winnings will be null and void. In
order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications remember to quote your
reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.

Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agents as
soon as possible.
Congratulations once more and thank you for being part of our promotional
program.

Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Sincerely yours,
Edga Williams
Winning Co-coordinator, (GRAND INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam