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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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.
  • fiducialcentnl@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Janet Cole <janet@cole10.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:43:32 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: CONTACT DR.PETER DEVIRES FOR CLAIMS.


CONTACT DR.PETER DEVIRES FOR CLAIMS.
De Lotto (Electronic Lotreij)
Postbus 3074,2280GB Rijswijk
Amsterdam,Netherlands

REF Number:EL3/9318/06
BATCH Number:8/163/EL

Dear Sir/Madam

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs in which your e-mail address was attached to ticket number 653164251591-6011 with serial number 7321410,lottery and draw lucky numbers 4-9-17-36-44-78 which won a lump sum pay out of One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Euros.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over Forty Thousand company's and Twenty Million individual email addresses and names from all over the world.This lottery was promoted and sponsored by Association of software producers.

To file for your claim, please contact our fiducial agent with your Name, Telephone /Fax numbers, Age and Nationality.
DR.PETER DEVIRES,
Remittance Director/Claims Coordinator,
Tel:0031 649 304 537
Email:fiducialcentnl@aim.com
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

Note: Anybody under the age of Eighteen is automatically disqualified.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs.Janet Cole,
For Management.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam