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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
• 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.
  • +34658178785 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • robertolopez3cordoba@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • meridianasegur@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: carlos@carlosamohi.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2006 17:47:22 +0100 (CET)
Subject: ATTN,WINNER





CALLE PIVON Y SANCHEZ NO 18 3B
28014, MADRID, SPAIN
TEL/: +34 658 178 785.

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REF NO: STH / 2551256004 /06
BATCH NO: / 0007 / 50013 DATE: 0 9 / 11 / 06

ATTN: BENEFICIARY

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE.

We are pleased to inform you of the release of the results of the EUROMILLONES SPANISH SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM held on the
09th of NOV, 2006 and organized by our marketing department to promote and encourage international participation in our end of year high stake lottery.

Your name attached to ticket number 7533-423 with serial number 77739254 and track number 01-411 30 drew the lucky numbers 14-36-43-18-24 -46-28, which consequently won in the 3rd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump payout of €115,810.00 (ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS ONLY) in cash credited to file
REF NO: STH / 2551256004 / 06. CONGRATULATIONS!.

Your fund is now deposited with a security company insured in your name alone, due to mixed up of some numbers and names, we ask you to keep your prize tracking number very confidential until your claim has been processed and your won fund remitted to your nominated bank account,as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming.
All participants were selected through a computer ballots system drawn from 25,000 names from Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, Caribean, Africa And New Zealand as part of our international program which we conduct once every year.We hope that with a part of your prize, you will

take part in our up coming end of year high stake €1.8 billion International lottery.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent, ROBERTO LOPEZ HIDALGO, Foreign Operation Manager of MERIDIANA SEGUROS COMPAÑIA, S.A. on TEL: +0034 616 879 132; EMAIL ROBERTOLOPEZ3CORDOBA@YAHOO.CO.UK,OR, meridianasegur@aim.com
FAX: +34918 836 575, for processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated bank account

of your choice.
Note: All winnings must be claimed not later than 28TH of DEC, 2006. After this date, all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. Also, for your information, 10% of your prize money belongs to your claim agent as a part of their commission. The commission will be paid to MERIDIANA SEGUROS COMPAÑIA S.A only after you have received your fund in your designated account.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and prize tracking numbers in every of your correspondence with your agent.

Sincerely,
JOSE LUIS MIGUEL
VICE PRESIDENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam