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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.

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "transfer of your funds" (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.
  • +31644865470 (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.
  • claimsagency44@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Postcode Lotterij International <claimsagency55@netscape.net>
Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 16:32:55 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS ( YOUR EMAIL WON THE LOTTERY )

POSTCODE LOTTERIJ INTERNATIONAL
HOLLAND HEAD OFFICE
SNELLERWAARDGRACHT 12,
1107 EJ GAASPERDAM, AMSTERDAM,

Dear Sir/Madam,
Congratulations!

With utmost joy, we are pleased to inform you of the result of the

Postcode Lotterij International Inc. programs, held on the 13th of May 2006, which drew a cash prize of
$1,225,000.00, covered with high insurance policy. Your e-mail address attached to Ticket/Code
number 0087411652337 with claim/reference number

085093785/92 drew these lucky numbers 007-49746-041-764-64-2091, Lottery number 76452901/27
serial numbers 0076194298, and a batch numbers 008723514/21 which consequently won in the 1st
category. You have been approved to receive a cash prize of $1,225,000.00 (One Million Two Hundred
and Twenty Five Thousand United States Dollars).

Be advised that due to incessant mix up in cash prize transfer to previous winners, we advise that you
keep your winning information confidential until your claim has been processed and released to you. This
security measure is critical; its a measure put in place to avoid double claims, transfer and unwarranted
abuse of this program by other participants.

METHOD OF SELECTING WINNERS:

Participants were selected anonymously through a private ballot system (computer ballot) from over
35,000 companies and 70,000 individual e-mail addresses all over the world. At the final draw your e-mail
address emerged as the winner of our last jackpot.

This is promotional program takes place bi-annually, and it is promoted and sponsored Orient software
corporation (Orient Networks). It is met to reward some individuals and corporations who have devoted
their time and resources surfing the World Wide Web (www) with their email addresses.

Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 20 days of this notification, after the expiration of
that time frame, if your funds are unclaimed, it will be refunded to us and included in our next draws.
We hope you will use part of your cash prize to participate in our next $18million draws in June 2006.
Lastly, in order to avoid unnecessary delays/complications with the transfer of your funds to you, please
always remember to quote your Code number in all correspondence with our legal adviser. To begin your
claim and how to obtain your winning ticket number from the Game Board, please contact our Director,
Claims agent

GLOBAL NATIONAL AGENCY

Mr. Michael Thomas

Mrs. G.F Saskia

Dr. Edward Makad

Email: claimsagency44@netscape.net

Tel: +31-644-865-470

Fax: +31-847-520-454

Furthermore, should there be any change of your present address, please notify us immediately so to
make the appropriate adjustment.

Congratulations from the management and staffs of Postcode Lotterij International.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs. Ruth Peterson

The Promotions Manager.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam