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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.
• 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.
  • +31
• 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.
  • postbanknlforex@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • melvyngrant@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Valerie Susan Gibson." <valeriesuzangibson@excite.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 00:28:43 +0700
Subject: CONGRATULATION YOUR EMAIL HAS WON!!!

YOU ARE A LUCKY WINNER!!

Attn: Winner,

We are pleased to inform you of the release of the long awaited results of
the International Promotions Lottery programmes draws held on the 15th
April, 2007. You were entered unaware as an independent participants with:
Reference Number: LIP/DH 00014578, and Batch Number DH/82109/LKP.Your email
address attached to the ticket number:00024537, Serials /N 20201.Draw Lucky
# 3652871 draws the lucky winning number, which consequently won the
SURE-CONCORDE International Lottery Promotions in the 2nd category.

You have been approved for a payment of the sum US$1,500,000 (One Million,
Five Hundred Thousand U.S.Dollars Only.) in cash credited to file reference
number: LIP/BCC 00078653. This is from a total cash prize of
US$15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million U.S.Dollars) shared among the ten
international winners in the 2nd categories. All participants were randomly
selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 250,000 (Two Hundred
and Fifty thousand) names of email users around the world, as part of our
international promotion program; this programme is sponsored by the
Conglomeration of computer software/Hardware manufacturers worldwide.

Due to mix up of some names and addresses, we urge you to keep this winning
personal and discreet until your claims have been processed and your funds
remitted to you, this is part of our security measures to avoid double
claiming or unwarranted abuse of the system by other participants or
impersonators. Your fund is now deposited in a special account with the
paying Bank-POST BANK NL. To begin your claim, DO NOT contact us, instead
contact the approved paying bank based in Holland (Netherlands),as they will
guide you step by step until your winning prize is paid to you.

Contact person: Mr. Melvyn Grant
(Forex/Processing Department)
Post Bank NL, Amsterdam-Holland Netherlands) WEB SITE
www.postbank.nl
EMAIL:- postbanknlforex@aim.com
OR
EMAIL:- melvyngrant@excite.com
Tel: +31.61.6763676 Fax:+31.84-7378354

Also give him the following information:-
YOUR FULL NAMES:
CONTACT STREETADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBERS (OFFICE AND MOBILE):
FAX NUMBER:
OCCUPATION AND:
YOUR AGE:
REF Number: LIP/DH:- 00014578
BATCH No:-DH/82109/LKP

Your security file number is LIP2090/WIN/2007 (keep personal) Remember,
your winning must be claimed not later than 30th May, 2007. Failure to claim
your winning prize will obviously mean that your winning prize will be
re-staked in our next lottery draws which comes up very shortly ,so ensure
that the needful is done now and quickly too.Once again, accept our profound
and sincere congratulations on your winning.

Yours Sincerely.

Valerie Susan Gibson.

ONLINE CO-ORDINATOR

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam