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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • +31644863856 (Netherlands, 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.
  • aminfoagents@yahoo.com.au

Fraud email example:

From: van@vgogh5.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 08:13:40 +0100 (CET)
Subject: CALL TO CONFIRM





CONTACT:FOR YOUR PRIZE YOU WON
REF Number: ASL- WF97-5G3

Congratulations to you as we bring to your notice, the results of the Category B draws of THE LOTTO NL PROMO INT We are happy to inform you that you have emerged a winner under the Category B, which is part of our promotional draws. The draws are being officially announced today 1st day of January,2007.

Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania as part of our International Promotions Program. Your e-mail address, attached to ticket number 7154-7207-NL, with serial number 39- 02-DNL drew the lucky numbers 04-07-29-30-42-44-39 and consequently won in the Category B.

You have therefore been awarded a lump sum pay out of $5,000,000.00 (Five Million United States Dollars), which is the winning payout for Category B winners. This is from a total cash prize of $20,000,000.00 {Twenty Million Dollars) shared amongst the first Eight (8) lucky winners in this category.

CONGRATULATIONS ! ! !
Your fund is now deposited with the paying Bank.In your best interest to avoid mix up of numbers and names of any kind, we request that you keep the entire details of your award strictly from public notice until the process of transferring your claims has been completed, and your funds remitted to your account.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants/nonparticipants of this program.Please contact your claim agent officer (International Remittance Dept)immediately for due processingand remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice:

NOTE: For easy reference and identification, find below your Reference and Batch numbers. Remember to quote these numbers in your correspondence with claims agent.

REF Number: EQA/231-ILGI0431/06
BATCH No: UOS/15/096/TVFS
TICKET No: 7154-7207-NL
SERIAL No: 39- 02-DNL
LUCKY No: 04-07-29-30-42-44-39

To claim your funds, please contact your claim officer.
(International Remittance Department).
Contact person:
Mr. Kent Van Gogh
E-mail: aminfoagents@yahoo.com.au
Tel: +31 644 863 856
Fax: +31-84-724-4423

Your are advice to provide him with the following bellow?
Names:
Age:
Tel :
Fax:
Nationality:
REF Number:
BATCH No:
TICKET No:
SERIAL No:
LUCKY No:

Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

Yours Sincerely,
Christina Eckwright
(Lotto nl Coordinator).

N.B: All claims must be completed within 7 working days of notification.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam