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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:
  • "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)
  • "keep this confidential" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
• 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.
  • +34686640687 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Madiba Tutu" <madiba.tutu@laposte.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mr_madibatutu@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:05:07 +0200
Subject: RESPOND ASAP

INTERNATIONAL LOTTO PROMOTION
(AFFILIATED WITH ONCE ESPAÑA)
AVDA. ROSARIO DIAZ 23, PLANTA 4, PUERTA B
28288 MADRID. SPAIN
+ 34 676 416 744
FROM : THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
CLAIM FILE NUMBER : EG/0084/5170024 12th OCTOBER, 2006
BATCH NUMBER : 100000488
ATTENTION : STAKE WINNER.
RE:AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY/INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM held on the 6th day of October 2006. Your name attached to the ticket number 002-771-897-045-112 drew the lucky numbers 09-13-17-29-33-41 that consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of $815,950.00 (EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) in cash credited to file ref number EG/0084/5170024. This is from a total cash prize of $25,750,966.00 (Twenty five million, Seven hundred and fifty thousand, nine hundred and sixty six United States Dollars only) shared amongst international winners in this category. CONGRATULATIONS.
Your fund, which is insured in your name, is now deposited with a finance company . Please note that your claim and batch number are the keys to your fund, your are to keep this confidential until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account as this is part of our protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of advantage of this program by participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names around the globe as part of our international promotion program that we conduct twice every year. We hope with a part of your prize, you will take part in our next high stake USD 1.3 BILLION INTERNATIONAL LOTTERIES.
To begin this claim, please contact MR. LUIS DAVIES the Foreign Service Manager of UNION SECURITY AND FINANCE COMPANY On Tel: +34 686 640 687 for processing and remittance of your prize money to designated account of your choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 19th day of September, 2006. After this date, all funds will be returned 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 Claims Representative. Furthermore, should there be any change of address, do notify your Claims Representative as soon as possible.
Congratulation once again from all members of our staff and thank you for being part of our promotion program.
MRS RACHAEL MIGUEL
DIRECTOR

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam