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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:
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • +447031959328 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • infor_on_claims@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "roger kelvin" <uvewon1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: metropolitan_courier@voila.fr
Date: Mon, 08 May 2006 02:08:16 +0000
Subject: YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON THE LOTTERY

ASSOCIATION OF SOFTWARE INC
BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY CORPORATION.
AWARD DEPARTMENT
9 Chaucer House
Churchill gardens
UK London, SW1V 3DW
United Kingdom.

YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON THE LOTTERY.

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Software Incorporation
balloting sweepstake held on 18th APRIL 2006.Your e-mail address attached
to:

Ticket Number: 4156189324
Reference Number:ASI/2347874BB
Serial Number:ASI/2347864BC.
which subsequently won you the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of $850,000.00 (Eight
Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) in cash drawn in your favor as
beneficiary and covered with HIGH IRREVOCABLE GUARANTY BOND POLICY.

You are advised to keep this winning very confidential until you receive
your lump prize in your account or optional cheque issuance to you by our
accredited courier company. This is a protective measure to avoid double
claiming by people you may tell as we have had cases like this before,
please send your:

Full Name, Home Address, Country, Ticket Number, Reference Number,
Serial Number, Amount Won To:

METROPOLITAN COURIER DEPARTMENT
CONTACT PERSON : DONALD MARK.
E-MAIL :metropolitan_courier@voila.fr
PHONE : +447 031 959 328

For more information on claims please contact:
NAME:WILLIAM JAMES
E-MAIL:infor_on_claims@sify.com
PHONE : +447 031 915 381

This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were
used.Email address was randomly selected from over 125,600 websites on the
internet. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users;
therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it.

The program is sponsored/supported by MCI Networks,Diamond Company,located
in Brazil in collaboration with the BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
CORPORATION.

Congratulate you once again.

Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 15-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 the courier company.
Congratulations once again.

Yours in service,

MR ROGER KELVIN.

Lottery Coordinator.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam