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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "million united states dollars" (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.
  • +31610698903 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: jo@joharry.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2007 16:30:16 +0100 (CET)
Subject: WINNING CLAIM NOTIFICATION.


WINNING CLAIM NOTIFICATION.

MICROSOFT INTERNET PROMOTION LOTTERY.
66B HEMENSTRAAT NOORDHILL, 1085KJ ZUIDWEST
AMSTERDAM , THE NETHERLANDS .

FROM: THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR.
MICROSOFT INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PRIZE AWARD
Batch No: TOE/4524578454/UE
Ref No: TOE/REF57845245222
TEL: +31-610-698-903.
FAX: +31-847-301-128.
ATTN: CEO

Dear Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Internet compensation promotion programs held on the 3rd of January 2007 and it’s aimed at compensating frequent internet explorers in all over the world. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number; TOE45121111454215 with serial numbers TOE4245454145HG555, batch number TOE/4524578454/UE, lottery reference number TOE/REF57845245222 and drew from lucky numbers 65-85-74-98-45-50-63 which consequently won in the 2nd category. you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$1,000,000.00 (ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) only by the MICROSOFT INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, payable in cash credited to

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam