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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "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 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.
  • info_mnestor@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: universalottopromo@zipmail.com.br
Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2006 02:25:44 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!! YOU HAVE WON OUR ONLINE FREE LOTTERY

FROM: UNIVERSAL LOTTERY PROMO INTERNATIONAL
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.
REF NUMBER: OSL/653/029/06
BATCH NUMBER: AT-040-SB06-06

Dear:Sir/Madam,

WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT AS A RESULT OF OUR RECENT LOTTERY DRAWS
HELD ON THE 2ND OF MAY 2006.

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 27522465896-532 with serial
number 652-662 drew lucky numbers 7-14-18-23-31-45 which consequently won
in the 2nd category. you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay
out of $1,000,000 (ONE MILLION DOLLARS) Note that All participants in this
lottery program have been selected randomly through a computer ballot system
drawn from over 20,000 companies and 30,000,000 individual email
addresses from all search engines and web sites.

This promotional program takes place every year, and is promoted and sponsored
by eminent personalities like the Sultan of Brunei, bill gates of microsoft
inc and other corporate organisations. this is to encourage the use of the
internet and computers worldwide.
For security purpose and clarity, we advise that you keep your winning information
confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted
to you.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted
abuse of this program by some participants. We look forward to your active
participation in our next year USD50 million slot.To file for your claim,please
contact our fiducially agent MR Nestor Mark E-mail address:(info_mnestor@yahoo.com)
Remember,all winnings must be claimed not later than one month After the
date of this notice.

Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, remember
to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as
soon as possible. Congratulations once more and thank you for being part
of our promotional program.
NOTE: YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED IF YOU ARE BELOW 18 YEARS OF AGE.

We acknowledge the receipt of your mail,and we congratulate you once again.

However,to enable our account department proceed with the processing of
your winnings you are required to fill the reqiured details:
USE CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY.
Full names:
Next of kin:
Contact address details:
Sex:
Phone(House no& mobile phone) and fax numbers:
Age:
Company name:
Profession:
Nationality:
Contact address details where your wish your cheque posted to:
Brief description of your company and individual:
Date:
I .................................................here by duly declare
that i have not claimed any fund from THE UNIVERSAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
COMPANY before,and will abide with the procedures for my fund release.
NOTE:
The above details will be documented in our database to avoid double claimming,or
claim from any unscrupulous individual. We will inform you on further procedures,immediatelly
we recieved your datas.Our regional payment centres where you will be zoned,will
be posting your cheque to your designated address you will be forwarding
to us.

Thanks for your usual co-operation.

Sincerely yours,
Mr scott chris
(LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR)
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
NB:Please use the above email when sending your reply.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam