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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:
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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:
  • "claim 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 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.
  • +447040130278 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • optimasec@postmaster.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MegaLotto Promo Lottery <mega_inc@tiscali.it>
Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 13:46:29 +0100
Subject: Winning Notification!!



--
Our Ref: PC/2UK02/H7
Batch: A4/005/089
MEGA LOTTO
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw (#456) of the MegaLotto promo Lottery,online Sweepstakes International program as part of our annual bonanza.You or your company, attached to ticket # 5412-6321-507, with serial # 211200-01 drew the lucky numbers 42-18-01-81-73, and consequently won the lottery in the \\\"Gold\\\"category.You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$5,500,000.00 in cash credited to REF# PC/12/G8OOX, which subsequently won you the lottery in the file BJQ/809G811/50.This is from a total cash prize of $123,063,634,shared amongst six(6) lucky winners in different categories.
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions,associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online.This promotion takes place quarterly.

HOW TO CLAIM PRIZE
Your fund is now deposited with Investasure Financial Services Limited.For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you.This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.
To file for your claim, please contact your claim agent at the security House:
Mr. Phillip Pitcher
Tel:+44-704-0130-278
Fax:+44-703-040-2970
Email:optimasec@postmaster.co.uk

THE INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY GAMES RULES
The rules and procedures of the international lottery game as amended from time to time, governs this game and the sale of the ticket to you as the Case may be, or otherwise, prize winning and all aspect of this game are subject to these rules and procedures.The ticket and reference number issued is the only valid proof of your number Selection and is the only valid receipt for claiming a prize. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days after the date of the notification mail. Prizes must be claimed in the manner stated on the notification mail.The promoters accepts no responsibility for tickets cancelled in error or for the entries given different from the central computer entries. Tickets shall not be allocated to persons under the age of 16.

THE INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY GAME IS RUN AND PROMOTED BY THE PARIS CLUB UNDER LICENCES BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY.

Congratulations.

Gena Lounge
Online coordinator,
MEGALOTTO PROMO LOTTERY


Please do not reply this email contact your Claim agent.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam