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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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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.
• 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.
  • +31620563363 (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.
  • arielsbertis@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • deutschbanks@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "South-West Australia Lottery" <arielsbertis@netscape.net>
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 20:45:16 +1000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

South-West Australia Lottery,
9701 Alexander Mall, Adelaide,
South-West Australia.
(South-West Australia Lottery is an affiliate of MCI Networks).
Santon Square, Complex 21, Netherlands.

From: Ms. Sharon Maxwell.
e-mail : arielsbertis@netscape.net
(Lottery Coordinator)

Sir/Madam,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the South-West Australia
Lottery (international program) held on the 8 April
2006. Your e-mail address attached to ticket #: 34090322816 with prize #
43568000/12 drew €1,000,000.00 which was first in the
1st Category of the draws. You have been approved to receive €1,000,000.00
(One Million Euros).
Because of claims mix-up and the limited time claims pay-outs, we will
advice that you keep your winning information confidential
until your prize (€1,000,000.00) has been remitted to you by our accredited
paying bank. You must adhere to this instructions
strictly to avoid loss of your cash prize – this program has been abused
severally, so we are doing all we can to forestall
further abuse by way of wrong claims.
It's important to note that this draws were conducted formally under the
watchful eyes of over 45,000 audiences. Winners are
selected through an internet ballot system from 160,000 personal and
corporate e-mail addresses. The program sponsored/supported
by MCI Networks in conjunction with South-West Australia lottery.
Congratulate you once again. We hope you will use part cash prize to
participate in our next mega draws of €85million.
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 10-days after you
receive this notification. Failure to claim your cash
prize after this date will result in prize forfeiture.
Please, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications remember to
quote personal and winning numbers in correspondence
with paying bank.

Please contact the paying bank with your information for the immediate
remittance of your funds. Kindly send them the following:
(i). your names,
(ii) Contact telephone and fax numbers
(iii) Contact Address
(iv) Your winning numbers
(v) Quote amount won.

Contact the paying bank with the following:
Bank’s Name: Deutsche Bank NV.
Contact person:J. Brown.
Deutsche Bank, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
E-mail: deutschbanks@netscape.net
Ph: +31 620-563-363


Congratulations once again.
Yours in service,
Ms. Sharon Maxwell.
Lottery Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam