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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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 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.
  • john_mccoy56@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Duncan Smith" <agent_smith@duncansmith.org>
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 01:36:44 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!



DEAR
SIR/MADAM
Congratulations for your winning
All participants were selected randomly from World wide Web
site through computer ballot system extracted from over
100,000 companies and individuals.This promotion takes
place annually.
Your email address attached to ticket number :56475600545
188 with serial number :5388/02 drew the lucky numbers
31-6-26-13-35-7, which subsequently won you the lottery in
the second category.
you have therefore won a large some of money of $2.5million dollars
You are required to forward the following details to help
facilitate the processing of your certificate and the
release of your winnings
1. Full names
2. Residential address.
3. Phone number.
4. A scanned identification of yourself sent via email
5. Occupation.
6. AGE
7 SEX
You are adviced to forward these informations as soon as
possible to enable us attend to your file.
Please note that your funds have been deposited safely in
our offshore payment office in europe and your information
will be forwarded to them before they can release your
winnings.You are also to choose the mode which you want to
collect your funds .

PAYMENT OPTIONS.
i. Travel down to personally collect it from our agent.
ii.This is for those who can not travel we will process the winnings
and then package and send it via courier service but you will
have to PAY FOR THE SERVICES.
You are to contact

MR.JOHN MCCOY
Fudicial Agent
44-7040106645
john_mccoy56@yahoo.co.uk
Once again, congratulations.
Yours sincerely,

JOHN IRVIN.PROTOCOLS AND GRAND (FOR
OVERSEAS LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL.)
NB:PLEASE INDICATE A PAYMENT OPTION

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam