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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.

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.
  • la_23primitiva@yahoo.ca (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Anthonio gomez <anthonio@agomez8.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:29:38 +0100 (CET)
Subject: YOU WON


FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD.
BATCH: EGS/22504002/06, REFERENCE: 15/0018/IPD DATE: 20 NOV. 2006
ATTENTION:,
AWARD NOTIFICATION
This is to inform you of the release of the EL- GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA LOTTERY held on the 30th of October 2006 Due to the mix up of numbers, address and the holiday, the results were release on 19th November 2006. Your name attached to ticket number, 50745-0 with serial number 168-07632472-034 drew the lucky numbers of 07-08-10-28-46-49 which consequently won the lottery in the 6th category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of $850,639,96C (Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Six Hundred and Thirty Nine Dolars Ninty Six Cent), in cash credited to file with REF: NO. EGS/3662367114/13. This is from a total cash prize of €18,639,640,00 shared among the twenty three international winners in this category. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your fund is now deposited with our Security Company and insured in your name. Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and money remitted to your account as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants as it has happened in the past.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from (Six Million) names from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South America Middle East and Africa as part of our International promotion program. We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the subsequent program. To begin your lottery claim, please contact your claiming agent, Mr. Michel Gonzales Foreign operation manager LA PRIMITIVA LOTERIAS Y APUESTAS DEL ESTADO on TEL: 0034685336006 Email: la_23primitiva@yahoo.ca for the processing and remittance of your winning prize money to a designation of your choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 30th of December 2006 any claim not made before this date will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA.
And also be informed that 10% of your Lottery Winning belongs to (IBERO PROMOTION COMPANY) because they are the promotion company that bought your ticket and played the lottery on your name, this ten percent will be remitted after you have received your winnings because the money is insured in your name already. NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence with us or your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible. An original copy of your prize Winning Certificate will be send to you after you have claimed your winning. Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thank you for being part of our International promotion program. We wish you continued good fortunes.

Sincerely yours,
Mr. ANTHONIO GOMEZ,
VICE PRESIDENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam