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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Lottery" <lotteryloto2005@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: carolandersong@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 18:09:17 +0000
Subject: Loto2

Hello, Date :02 -12 - 2005

We are pleased to inform you, that as a result of our RECENT LOTTERY DRAWS
HELD on the 14th of July 2005.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number
87522465896-532 with serial number 852-462 drew lucky numbers 17-24-28-33-37-45
Which subsequently won in the category B.You have therefore been approved for

a lump sum pay out of $7,500,000 (SEVEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) Note that All participants in this lottery program have been selected randomly through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 companies and 30,000,000individual email addresses from all web sites.
This promotional program takes place every year, and is promoted and sponsored by eminent Personalities like the Sultan of Brunei, Bill Gates of Microsoft inc and other corporate organisations.This is to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide.
For security purpose and clarity, we advise that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. We look forward to your active participation in our next year USD180 million slot.


All winnings must be claimed not later than Two weeks after the date of this notice.
Please note, 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 agent Ms. Carol Anders on email, carolandersong@yahoo.comas soon as possible.
Congratulations once more and thank you for being part of our promotional Program.
NOTE: YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED IF YOU ARE
BELOW 18 YEARS OF AGE.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. Richard Walker

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam