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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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.
  • +34655375454 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: MRS@fence.pobox.com, TIRSO MOLINA <primetiva206@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 19:18:33 +0200
Subject: lottery award notification


from the desk of managine director
claim file number: eg/008045160027
MADRID:
26/6/2006
BATCH NUMBER: 100000488
AWARD NOTIFICATION
FINAL NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you today 26th day of june, 2006 for the
release of the SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY / INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM Held
on the 20th of june 2006. Your name attached to the ticket number
025-11-464-992-750 drew the lucky number 134-15-16-21-34-36 which
consequently won thelottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore
been
approved for a lump sum pay of US$950,950.00 ( NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY ) in cash
credited to file NO: EG/008045160027.
This is From A Total Cash Prize of
US$25,756.820.00 ( TWENTY FIVE
MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWENTY
DOLLARS ONLY ) shared Among International Winners In This category
CONGRATULATIONS.
Your fund is now deposited with a finance company insured to your name.
please note that your claim and batch numbers are the key to your
funds,
You are to keep this as a top confidential until your claim has been
processed and your money remitted to your bank account as this is part
of our protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of an
advantage of this program by participants.
All Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from 25,000 names from Europe , America and asia as part of our
international promotions program which we conduct twice every year. We
hope with a part of your prize you will take part in our next high
stake
USD1.3 BILLION INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent MR.JAMES CARLOS
the
foreign Service manager UNION SECURITY & FINANCE COMPANY
TEL:+34-655375454 FAX:+34-940463988 :union_finance.com processing
and transfer of your prize money to a designated bank account of your
choice.
Remember all prize money must be claimed not latter than 28th July
2006.
After this date, all funds will be return to the Ministerio De economia
y Hacienda as unclaimed.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications, please
remember
to quote your reference and batch numbers in every of your
correspondence with us or your agent, furthermore, should there be any
change of address, Do notify your claims agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for
being a part of our promotion program.
Sincerely,
MRS.Tirso Molina

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam