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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million 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)
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +31627032938 (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.
  • softwarelotto200@netscape.net
  • infosoftware2006@mrlottery.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Patricia Walker <softwarelotto200@netscape.net>
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 06:09:21 -0500
Subject: WINNER OF US$500,000.

GLOBAL SOFTWARE PROMOTIONS.
THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDS DEPARTMENT
REF NO: TLOT/553724560/06
BATCH NO:51551/AIS7632/ABN
FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#152/54395) of the GLOBAL SOFTWARE SPONSORED online Sweepstakes program held 17th of February 2006 in which your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:03-09-13-35-43-45(bonus no.08), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand united states Dollars) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.

This is from a total cash prize of (US$6,000,000) Six Million United States Dollars shared amongst the (12)lucky winners in this category.
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place once in two years.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand united states Dollars) will be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.

Our European Agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact the Agency. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
MR.Phil Owens.
TEL: 0031-627-032-938.
E-mail: softwarelotto200@netscape.net
Alternative Email: infosoftware2006@mrlottery.com

For processing and remittance of your cash to a designated account of your choice. remember,all winnings must be claim not later than FEBRUARY 28th 2006, after this date, all unclaimed funds will be returned to the promotion company.

Our winners are assured of the utmost standard of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Patricia Walker.
(Lottery Co-ordinator)
E-mail: softwarelotto200@netscape.net
NB: All participants below the age of 18 years old are automatically disqualified.


















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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam