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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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +31620486777 (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.
  • peterside_anderson@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "williams pronk" <williams_pronk60@msn.com>
Reply-To: peterside_anderson@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 09:06:49 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

NED LOTTO LOTTERY
An Post National Lottery Company.
                                             
                                 
                                       WINNING NOTIFICATION
 
 
We are pleased to inform you of the result of The National Lottery
Email
Program has been released.Your Email address attached to ticket number
5-4-3-2-1-0 with serial number 2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 03 04 08
12 27
36 which consequently won the lottery in
the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of 1,000,000.00
(One
Million Euros)in cash credite to file EAASL/941OYI/02/STXN.  This is
from a
total cash prize of 50 Million Euro shared amongst the first fifty (50)
lucky winners in this category.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from
25,000 names and email addresses from all continent of the world as
part of
our international promotions program which we conduct twice every year
To begin your claim please contact your claims barrister:
 
ADAMS BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS
 
Mr.Peterside Anderson,
 
Netherlands.
 
Phone: +31-620-486-777
 
Email: peterside_anderson@yahoo.co.uk
 
Your claims barrister will assist you in the processing
for the remittance of your prize funds pending on your
choice of payment.
Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later than One month.
After
this date all funds will be returned to the LOTTERY TREASURY as
unclaimed.
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,please endeavor
to
quote your Reference (TNL/776/05/EGS) and Batch numbers (02/01/0078) in
every correspondence with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any
change in your address, do inform your claims barrister as soon as
possible.
Congratulations once again from all members of our
staff and thanks for
being part of our promotions program.
 
Yours faithfully,
WILLIAMS PRONK
Online coordinator for NED-LOTTO LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program
 
 

 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam