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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • electroniclotto@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "electronic lot" <electroniclot012@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 12:13:49 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOUR EMAIL HAS WON.

FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS. WINNING NOTICE FOR
CATEGORY+A WINNER


Dear Lucky Winner,

RE: ELECTRONICLOTTO PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded annual
final draws of Lotto International Netherlands programs.
The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of
25,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an
advanced automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets
were sold.After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged
as one of two winners in the category +A with the following:

Ref Number: PC 390 ES 214
Batch Number: 26371545-LNI/2004
Ticket Number: PCP 002 871

You as well as the other winner are therefore to receive a cash prize
of 850,000.00. (EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND ONLY) each from the total
payout.Your prize award has been insured with your e-mail address and will
be transferred to you upon meeting our requirements, statutory
obligations, verifications, validations and satisfactory report.
To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are advised
to contact our licensed and accredited claims agent for category +A winners
with the information below:

E-mail: electroniclotto@netscape.net


Mr. Van Bell,
Remittance Department Director,
You are also advised to provide him with the under listed information
as soon as possible:

1. Name in full
2. Address
3. Nationality
4. Age
5. Occupation
6. Phone/Fax

NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than 14 days. After this
date all unclaimed funds would be included in the next stake. Remember to
quote your reference information in all correspondence.

You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public
especially your reference and ticket numbers. (This is important as a
case of double claims will not be entertained).

Thank you and congratulations!!!
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Clarin Jones,
Games/Lottery Coordinator.
Lotto International Netherlands

_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail en Messenger on the move http://www.msn.nl/services

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam