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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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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")
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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.
  • +27735060041 (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.
  • mrjclaimsoffice@workmail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "cresta promotion" <cresta_board_32@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2006 17:03:35 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU WON A LOTTERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CRESTA WINNERS PROMOTIONS
NEW GATE 21B
GAUTENG PROVINCE
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF: EGS/2551256003/03
BATCH: 14/0017/IPD
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION

Be informed that you have emerged a winner of our Lottery International
Program that was drawn three days from the day of this notice.
Attached to ticket number 7768880012,with serial Number 2113-05 matched the
winning numbers 7,23,5,45,8 BONUS NO: 62, and consequently won our Stakers
International lottery in the 5th category.
Approved is a lump sum of Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars
($700,000.00) in cash prize accredited to file REF NO. JSL/2554259003/07
that should be released to you.
This is from the total prize money of ($10,500,000) shared among the fifteen
International winners in this category.
Participants were selected through a referral program and winners were
picked by a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from
Australia,New Zealand, America,Asia,Europe,Africa and North America as part
our International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually. 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
released to you.

To begin your claim, please contact the claims department:

Mr.JAMES THEMBA
(Claims Manager)
Phone:+27 73 506 0041
Email: mrjclaimsoffice@workmail.co.za

NB: Prizes must be claimed not later than 2 working weeks.
After these stipulated days, all funds will be returned as unclaimed prizes
and will channeled for charity. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications, please remember to quote your winning reference batch numbers
in every one of your correspondences with the claims officer.

You are to provide the claim agent with the under listed
information as soon as possible:

1. NAME IN FULL:................................
2. ADDRESS:.....................................
3. NATIONALITY:.................................
4. AGE:.........................................
5. Sex..........................................
6. OCCUPATION:..................................
7. MARITAL STATUS:..............................
8. PHONE.......................................
9. FAX:........................................
10.WINNING REF................................

Congratulations and thank you for being part of our International promotions
program.

Best regards,
OLIVER ADA
(CRESTA WINNERS PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR)
CONGRATULATIONS YOU WON A LOTTERY

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam