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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:
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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.
  • +31617186560 (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.
  • vanbell1974@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "LOTTERY COORDINATOR" <lotterycoordinator126@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:16:58 +0000
Subject: ONLINE RESULT 02/01/2006

FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS. WINNING NOTICE FOR CATEGORY \"A\" WINNER

 

Dear Lucky Winner,

 

RE: ELEKTRONIK LOTTO PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION

 

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded annual final draws of  Lotto International  Netherlands programs. The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 25,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets were sold.

 

After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged as one of two winners in the category \"A\" with the following:

 

Ref Number: PC 390 ES 214
Batch Number: 26371545-LNI/04
Ticket Number: PCP 002 871

 

You as well as the other winner are therefore to receive a cash prize of ?1,500,000.00. (ONE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO ONLY) each from the total payout.Your prize award has been insured with your e-mail address and will be transferred to you upon meeting our requirements,statutory obligations, verifications, validations and satisfactory report.

 

To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are advised to contact our licensed and accredited claims agent for category \"A\" winners with the information below:

 

Mr. Van Bell,
Remittance Department Director,
Tel            : +31 617 186 560 
E-mail       : vanbell1974@netscape.net

 

You are also advised to provide him with the under listed information as
soon as possible:

 

1. Name in full
2. Address
3. Nationality
4. Age
5. Occupation
6. Phone/Fax

 

NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than 14 days. After this dateall unclaimed funds would be included in the next stake. Remember to quote your reference information in all correspondence.

 

You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public especially your reference and ticket numbers. (This is important as a case of double claims will not be entertained).Members of the affiliate agencies are automatically not allowed to participate in this program.

 

Thank you and congratulations!!!

 

Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Caro Benson,
Games/Lottery Coordinator.
Lotto International  Netherlands
www.lotto.nl

 

This email may contain information which is confidential and/or privileged. The information is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient,be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents is prohibited.If you have received this electronic transmission in error,please notify the sender by telephone or return email and delete the material from your computer.

 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam