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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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 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.
  • winsec@representative.com

Fraud email example:

From: International Swiss Lotto <info@swisslotto.ch>
Reply-To: winsec@representative.com
Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 10:32:43 +0200
Subject: SwissWinner 2007


SWISS LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL WINNERS PROMO
Giacomettistrasse 1
CH-3000 Bern, Switzerland
www.swisslotto.ch
Date:09/05/07

Attn:Benefactor,

Ref. Number...... .CH/491OXI/07
Batch Number...... 12/25/0304
Ticket Number..... 564 75600545-188
Serial Number......5388/02

Congratulations!!! you are a winner of €1,950,000.20 on the Swiss Promo
online draws which was played on the 30Th of April, 2007
For further Information about your Winnings contact:

Claims Agent Office
Madrid-Spain

Winsec Security Agency
Fax:+ 34 911 311 826
Email:winsec@representative.com
Mr. Antonio Miguel

Remember, all winnings must be claim not later than 28th of May 2007

Yours sincerely,

Mr. David Graham Owen
(Lottery Coordinator) SWISS LOTTO

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam