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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.

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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "to 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)
• 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.
  • +31633789698 (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.
  • infostaatlottery@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MRS.MARILFA BRIDGE <infodesk@staatlottery.com>
Reply-To: infostaatlottery@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2006 23:37:09 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!


STAATLOTTERY NATIONAL PROMOTION.
POSTBUS 3313 5902 RH
VENLO THE NETHERLANDS.
REF N° : BL3/20045/07
BATCH N°: 35/203/FME
SECURITY DEPOSIT CODE:DZL/15890456/DDZL
REPLY MAIL: infostaatlottery@netscape.net

Dear Sir/Madam,
We happily announce to you the draw of the Staatlottery International programs held on the 20th of February 2006. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 564 75600545 188 with Serial number 5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 31-6-26-13-35-7, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of €500,000.00( Five Hundred Thousand Euro only).
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 company email addresses and 30,000,000 individual email addresses from Australia, Africa, New Zealand, America, Europe, North America and Asia as part of International promotion.
CONGRATULATIONS! ! !
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to your nominated bank account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this
programme by some participants. All participants were selected through an e-mail balloting.
This promotional programme takes place every two years at the beginning of the year. To file for your claim, please contact your fiducial agent by telephone and email for due processing and remittance of your prize money to your designated bank account of your choice.
Claim Fiducial Officer :
MR : JOOST KORK .
Reply Email: infostaatlottery@netscape.net
Direct Line : 0031 633 789 698./0031 612 635 957
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than One week of receiving this notice. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed. Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, remember to quote your reference number and batch number in all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do kindly inform us as soon as possible.
Note: To enhance the processing of your claim by your processing officer, you are advised to officially introduce yourself to the claim agent and also provide them with your valid means of your personal identification with a copy of this awards notification for references.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

MRS.MARILFA BRIDGE.
Lottery Coordinator,

N : B , DO KINDLY CONTACT THE LOTTERY FIDUCIAL AGENT MR.JOOST KORK ON HIS DIRECT LINE : 0031-633 789 698./0031 612 635 957.
.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam