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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
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• 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.

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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "claims 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.
  • victorromma2002@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MR PAUL MIGUEL <sweepstakelottry@yahoo.es>
Reply-To: victorromma2002@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 02 Mar 2006 23:21:19 +0400
Subject: EL GORDO SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY S.A.


EL GORDO SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE
LOTTERY S.A.
C/ CARRACA N11 PISO 1
08905 MADRID -SPAIN
FROM: THE DESK OF MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
REF NO: EGS/0007459015/03
BATCH NO:17/7024/IPD

ATTENTION: .
RE:AWARD NOTIFICATION,FINAL NOTICE
WE are pleased to inform you of the release of the results of the EL GORDO SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY /INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM held on the 12th of january ,2006.IN SPAIN.
Your name attached to ticket number 777-52104543-094 with serial number 3113-55 drew the lucky numbers 1-22-16-78-39-10 which consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of 1. 515,810. 00 (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS ONLY ) in cash credited to file REFERENCE
NO:EGS/0007459015/03.This is from a total cash prize of 20,768,770.00(TWENTY MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND,SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EUROS ONLY) shared among the seventeen international winners in this category
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Your fund is now deposited with a security company insured to your name. Due to mixed up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your nominated account as this is a part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America,USA, as part of our international promotions program which we conduct once every year. We hope that with a part of your prize , you will take part in our end of year high stake US$1.3 billion International lottery.
To begin your lottery claim please contact your claims agent, Foreign operations MR VICTOR ROMMA, Email:victorromma2002@yahoo.com on for processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember that all prize money must be claimed not later than 25th of March, 2006 After this date all funds will be returned to the Ministry de Economic y Hacienda as unclaimed.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays there be any change of your address, please do inform your claims agent, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence with us or your agent Furthermore should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for being a part of our promotions Program.Sincerely.
DR, PAUL MIGUEL.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam