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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:
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "foreign service manager" (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!
• 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.
  • solomonlee@inmail24.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Helen Wong" <helenwong@walla.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 18:01:12 +0800
Subject: Congratulations

ACCREDITED LICENSED AGENT TO TRANSGLOBE EXPRESS INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTION AGENCY.
TRANSGLOBE EXPRESS FINANCE AGENCY.

Ref Number: 132/756/4087
Batch Number: 538901527-BB67

ATTN: Sir/Madam,
We are pleased to inform you of the lottery result, winners international program held on the 17th jan,2006. Entered your email addresses amongst other addresses for the international lottery programs conducted by NLF ONLINE. Your E-mail address was attached to ticket number AY6 7 3 A G G and it drew a lucky number 6 2 7 0 3 1 9 7 4 which consequently won in the first (A) category, you are therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$1,000,000.00.


CONGRATULATIONS!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money received. And please remember to quote your reference#, batch #, ticket # and your Lucky # in all correspondence.

To file for your claim, please contact our Foreign Service manager for category A Grand premium Lottery Winners (Dr.Solomon Lee) ON THIS
Email: solomonlee@inmail24.com OR solomonlee@muchomail.com

Note that the said sum has since been deposited with a reputable finance house waiting for the immediate remittance into your nominated bank account. Be informed that your winning prize has a hard cover insurance policy that makes it difficult to deduct a cent until the sum is finally credited into your designated account.
In view of the above you are hereby requested to contact this Agency / (Dr.Solomon Lee) Foreign Service manager for category A Grand as soon as possible with the details below.
Note: Anybody under the age of 21 is automatically disqualified.
Best regards,
Mrs. Helen Wong.
Lottery Co-ordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam