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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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.
  • +27783030229 (South Africa, 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.
  • markzolo2007@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: flaloto@webmail.co.za
Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2006 23:53:56 +0200
Subject: FINAL NOTICE OF AWARD NOTIFICATION

FROM THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS LOTTERY MANAGER,
PROTEA WINNERS ORGANIZATION LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA,
13,LAKE VIEW DRIVE,AUCKLAND PARK
P.O.BOX 296, AUCKLAND PARK,
JOHANNESBURY,
SOUTH AFRICA.

Your kind Attention:

FINAL NOTICE OF AWARD NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today the 24th OF December
2006,of winners of the PROTEA WINNERS ORGANIZATION LOTTERY, held on 30th OF
NOVEMBER 2006 as part of our promotional draws. Participants were selected
through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of
individuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia,
Australia,Canada,Europe,
Middle East,and New Zealand as part of our electronic business Promotions
lottery
Program. You qualified for the draw as a result of you visiting Various
websites we are running the e-business promotions lottery for.

You/Your Company, attached to ticket number 139-3201-6409,with serial number

570-10 drew the lucky numbers 1,8,14,20,31,46,72,and consequently won in the

Second Category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$3,000,000.00
in cash,which is the winning payout for Second category winners.This is from
the total prize money of S$21,000,000.00 shared among the Seven international
winners in the Second category.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your fund is now deposited with the Maco Finance and Security Company
insured in your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we award
strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your
money
remitted to your account.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or
unscrupulous acts by participants of this program. We hope with a part of
your prize, you

will participate in our up coming mid year (2007) high stakes US$1.3 billion

International Lottery. To begin your claim, please contact your
claim agent immediately:

DR MARK ZOLO
FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER,
TEL:+27-78-3030-229
EMAIL:markzolo2007@yahoo.com

Kindly contact your claims officer and provide him with the following
informations,

1. The Refrence Number.-------------------------------------------
2. The Batch Number.-----------------------------------------------
3. The Ticket Number.----------------------------------------------
4. The serial Number.------------------------------------------------
5. The lucky Number.-----------------------------------------------

FULL NAMES:________________________MAILING
ADDRESS:__________________________________SEX:_____________________
AGE/DATE OF BIRTH________________MARITAL STATUS:___________________
OCCUPATION:______________________TEL/FAX UMBER:_____________________
AMOUNT WON:__________________STATE/COUNTRY:_____________________COMPANY
NAME:________________________

If you do not contact your claims agent within 14 working days of this
notification, your winning prize money would be revoked.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember
to quote your reference and batch numbers. Winners are advised to keep their

winning details/ information from the public to avoid fraudulent claims.
(IMPORTANT) pending the transfer/claim

REFERENCE NUMBER: KFQ-XV69-013b-9
BATCH NUMBER: 57-488-BBN

Congratulations once again from all our staff and thanks for your promotions
program.

Sincerely,

MRS STEPHANIE NKOSI.
Lottery Co-ordinator
PROTEA WINNERS ORGANIZATION LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam