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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.

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:
  • "claim 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 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.
  • r_lawrence01@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "sorex promo" <sorex_promo9@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: richard_law22@myway.com
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 11:16:18 +0000
Subject: AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER. INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS / PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT
REF NUMBER: 3117849330/03.
BATCH NUMBER: 50/0112/NIG
WINNING NOTIFICATION,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on the 2nd January,2006.We are pleased to inform
you of the announcement today,13th of January,2006,you among other two
persons,winning in the second category, became a winner with the winning
ticket number 220982217413-7240 with serial number 34708-325 drew
luckynumbers 3-34-28-13-41 which consequently won in the 1st category,you
have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of US$1Million (One
MillionUnited States Dollars)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning
information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money
remitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.All
participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over
20,000 companies and 30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from
all over theworld.This promotional program takes place every three year.This
lottery was promoted and sponsored by Ted Turner,Jesse Jackson,Ken Evoy, we
hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year USD50
million international lottery.

To begin your claim process contact the claim agent,MR RICHARD
LAWRENCE--EMAIL:r_lawrence01@yahoo.com

Your instrument of payment as well as a copy of this notification has been
sentahead to the claim agent who, after verifying that you are the
actualowner/user of the e-mail address that won the draws, shall instruct
the paying bank for the release of your winning claims. Note that the claim
process is not expected to last longer than two weeks fromthe date of
contacting the claim agent.

Accept our congratulations!
MARK LOUIS
DIRECTOR
(SOREX PROMO)

ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO
DISQUALIFICATION.ALSO,SINCE YOUR AGENT IS IN NIGERIA,YOUR MONEY WILL BE PAID
TO YOU VIA THE INTERCONTINENTAL BANK OF NIGERIA PLC THROUGH THEIR
CORRESPONDENT BANK IN SWITZERLAND.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam