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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:

• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • +27734619909 (South Africa, 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.
  • oldmutualcompany@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Khumalo Mbeeki" <khumalo_mbeeki@yahoo.co.in> (may be fake)
Reply-To: oldmutualcompany@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:35:20 +0200
Subject: JOHN VUSI

SUITE 144, SANTON SQUARE,
2154, JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD
DEPARTMENT,
REF: GLS/5181/7390007/77 BATCH: 2101/14/LPP
ATTENTION:Dear,
AWARD NOTIFICATION
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, FEBRUARY 21ST 2006, of winners of the GOLDEN SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held on 20TH JANUARY 2006.You were attached to ticket number 025-1146-1992-750, with serial number 2113- 05,your ticket drew the lucky numbers 4, 24, 27, 35, 37, 44,48 and consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out of US$1,200,000.00 in cash credited to file REF NO. GLS/5181/7390007/77. This is from total prize money of US$15,400,000.00 shared among the seventeen international winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, USA and North America as part of our International Promotions Program.
CONGRATULATIONS! Your fund is now deposited with Finance and Security House insured in your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program. We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes US$1.3 billion International Lottery.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent;
MR JOHN VUSI,
FOREIGN SERVICE DIRECTOR,
CLAIM DEPARTMENT,JOHANNESBURG, S.A
Tel +27-734619909
EMAIL:oldmutualcompany@netscape.net
For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember all prize money must be claimed not later than 21st APRIL 2006 After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed to the Golden Sweepstake Lottery trust fund account
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.
Sincerely,
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, GOLDEN SWEEPSTAKE LOTTO.
N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to disqualification. Please, Contact your claim agent for immediate processes and claim of your award money

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam