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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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• 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:

• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: MARK SPENCER <agentmarkspencer@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 13:30:50 +0100 (BST)
Subject: VERIFICATION FORM


U.K NATIONAL LOTTERY
Dear Winner,
Congratulations once again from all the staff here. In
order to verify your winnings, we need your
particulars for record purposes, Attached here is a
copy of our verifications form, please fill
accordingly so as to proceed with your winnings. Once
again congratulations from all the staff.


VERIFICATION FORM

1.FULL NAMES:__________________________________
2.ADDRESS:_____________________________________________

____________________________________________
3.SEX:_______________

4.AGE:________
5.MARITAL STATUS:___________________
6.OCCUPATION:________________________
7.E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
8.TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________

9.LOTTO NUMBER:____________________ B. DRAW NUMBER:______________
10. REFERENCE NUMBER :___________________
11.BATCH NUMBER:__________________
12.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL_________________________

13.AMOUNT:_____________________________

14.COUNTRY:__________________________


Upon receipt of the duly requested data, I will send
you the contact information of the payment office so you
can proceed with effecting the release of your claim
in anyway you deem fit.
Warm Regards,


MARK SPENCER (MR).





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam