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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• 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 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.
  • +34659309051 (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.
  • lotocatalunya@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: promotion@ndepartment4.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:37:09 +0100 (CET)
Subject: NOTIFICATION FOR PRIZE AWARD


MRS.HELENA PEREZ
LOTOCATALUNYA
PROMOTION COORDINATOR.
REF: LTC/ 04, 19, 20, 29, 37, 42C.01R.3
BATCH: 132/934/8JTY/ES
WEBSITE:www.lotocatalunya.net


Dear Sir/Madam,


NOTIFICATION FOR PRIZE AWARD

Following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic online Sweepstakes organized by the Lotocatalunya corporation, the Lotocatalunya award in conjunction with the foundation for the promotion of software, (F.P.S.), held on the 13th of December,2006, in Madrid-Spain, wherein your electrononic email address emerged as one of the online winning emails in the 6th category and therefore attracted a cash award of 600.000,00 Euro (Six Hundred Thousand Euro) Equivalent in US Dollars $791.342,71 US Dolars (Seven Hundred and Ninety One Thousand Three Hundred and Fourty Two, Seventy One US Dollars).

We write to officially notify you of this award and we advise you to contact the processing office immediately upon the receipt of this message for more information concerning the verification, processing and eventual payment of the above prize to you.It is important to note that your award information was released on the with the following particulars attached to it.

(I) Serial Numbers: DRF/417/005/174
(2) Email ticket number: TK3900/012/67
(3) Batch Number: 132/934/8JTY/ES
(4)Reference Number:LTC/ 04, 19, 20, 29, 37, 42C.01R.3
(5) direct telephone/fax numbers
(6) your full name,home / office address
(7)amount won and lottery date

Please call our foreighn affairs deptartment immediatly to facilitate the release of your prize.You are required to mention the above particulars of your award in every correspondence addressed to the foreighn affairs dept.

MR.ENRIQUE MARTINEZ
(FOREIGN AFFAIR DEPARTMENT)
TEL:0034-659-309-051
(0011-34-659-309-051
or 011-34-659-309-051)
EMAIL: lotocatalunya@netscape.net

The Lotocatalunya Awards is sponsored by a consortium of software promotion companies.
The Intel Group, Microsoft and other international companies.The lotocatalunya internet draw is held periodically and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.

We are proud to say that over 9 Million Euro are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.
Rememer, all winning must be claimed not later than 28th of december 2006.To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, remember to quote your reference number and batch number in all correspondence and you must call to acknowledge the receipt of this mesage.

On behalf of management and staff of Lotocatalunya CONGRATULATIONS ONCE
AGAIN!!!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Helena Perez.
Promotions Coordinator
website:www.lotocatalunya.net.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam