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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "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 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.
  • +31647210426 (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.
  • custservices148@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "applecrestlotteries Subject: Light Pollution Internet Links"
<applecrestlotteries999@msn.com>
Reply-To: custservices148@netscape.net
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:16:21 +0000
Subject: Applecrest & Grant Lotteries

Applecrest & Grant Lotteries,
1022 Kingsway Ave., Osborne,
Western Australia, 6018.
Head office: Maliebaan 38-40, 3581CR,
Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Dear Sir/Madam,

YOU WON: $1,000,000.00!
With utmost joy, we are pleased to inform you of the result of the
Apple crest & Grant Lotteries International programs held on the 5th,
january 2006 drew cash Prize of $1,000,000.00. Your e-mail address
attached
to Code number 370011672387-290-02 with claim
Number 12093782/42 drew these lucky numbers 894-4563-001-764-64-2911,
which
consequently won in the 1st category. You have been approved to receive
a
cash prize of $1,000,000.00 (One Million USD).
Be advised that due to incessant mix up in cash prize transfer to
previous
winners, we advise that you Keep your winning information confidential
until
your claims is been processed and your funds ($1,000,000.00)
Transferred to
you. This security measure is important; its protocol meant to avoid
double
claims, transfer and unwarranted abuse of this program by other
participants.
METHOD OF SELECTING WINNERS:
Participants were selected anonymously through a private ballot system
(computer ballot) from over 35,000 Companies and 70,000 individual
e-mail
addresses all over the world. At the final draw your e-mail address
Emerged
as the winner of our last jackpot.This is promotional program takes
place
bi-annually, and it is promoted and sponsored Orient software
Corporation
(Orient Networks). It is met to reward some individuals and
corporations who
have devote Their time and resources surfing the world wide web (www)
with
their email addresses. Remember, all winning must be claimed not later
than
5 working days from today. After the expiration of that time frame, if
your
funds are unclaimed, it will be refunded to us and included in our next
draws.We hope you will use part of your cash prize to participate in
our
next $18million draws in March 2006. Lastly, in order to avoid
unnecessary
delays/complications with the transfer of your funds to you, please
Always remember to quote your Code number in all correspondence with
our
paying bank (Deutsche
Bank-Amsterdam). Furthermore, should there be any change of your
present
address, please notify us
Immediately so to make the appropriate adjustment.

Congratulations from the management and staffs of Applecrest & Grant
Lotteries.
-----------------------------------------------------
Kindly, immediately, contact our Paying Bank (Deutsche Bank-Amsterdam)
for
your payment advice.
Send them following e-mail:
I……………(your names)…….., with e-mail address………..(your e-mail
address)…..,
contact address………..(postal address)…….and code number:……….(quote your
code
number)…….is the winner of the last Applecrest & Grant Lottery draws,
with a
cash prize of $1,000,000.00. Kindly advise me with details of the
process of
the transfer of my cash prize within the next 5-working days.

Contact details of our Paying Bank:
Contact person: Mr. Larry Martin.
Department of Private Banking,
Deutsche Bank, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
E-mail: custservices148@netscape.net
Tel: 31 647-210-426
Fax 31-847-235-420
Congratulations.
Yours in services,
Scott Frederic.(Lottery Coordinator)
Note: Participants below 21 years are automatically disqualified.
All e-mail transmission/correspondence are 100% protected by our Secure
Socket Layer (SSL) server.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam