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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "overseas claims unit" (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.
  • info_bank@mail.vu (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ELENA SANCHEZ" <loteria2007@mail.vu>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 06:35:33 +0800
Subject: NOTIFICATION INFO

LOTERIA-DE SANTA ONLINE LOTTERY.
Date: MAY 14, 2007
WINNING NOTIFICATION:
Ref.No:919347/881-5
Batch:3566411921-0TA/04
Dear Lucky Winner,
Congratulations as we happily announce to you today that the draw Of the
LOTERIA-DE SANTA ONLINE LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program
held in MAY 2007 in Europe. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:
G276017-487 with Serial number 493-678 drew the lucky numbers:
[ 7-28-87-11-69-00 ]
The Bonus Ball [02], which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd
category i.e, matches 3 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to
claim a total sum of USD 700,000.00 (Seven hundred thousand dollars)
credited to file nos KTU/9023118668/03. This is from a total cash prize of
USD 700,000.00 (Seven hundred thousand dollars) shared amongst the first Ten
(10) lucky winners in this category i.e Match 4 plus bonus.
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World
Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100
Million Email addresses of unions, associations and corporate bodies that
are listed online. This promotion takes place once in a year. Please note
that your lucky winning number falls within our U booklet representative
office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, Your
USD 700,000.00 (Seven hundred thousand dollars) would be released to you by
any of our payment offices here in Europe. Our Europe agent will immediately
commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you
contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning
information confidential until your claim is processed and your money
remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and
unwarranted abuse of this program, Be warned ! !.
To file for your claim, please contact our claims agent with the
verification form below:
Overseas Claims Unit
Fiduciary Agent for MICROSOFT EU PROMOTIONS.
Mr. Larry Edward.
Email: info_bank@mail.vu
KINDLY FILL THE CLAIMS VERIFICATION/PROCESSING FORM BELOW AND SEND IT TO
HIM:
=====================================================
FULL NAMES OF BENEFICIARY:...................................
CONTACT ADDRESS:...........................................
CITY/STATE:................................................................
.......
COUNTRY:...................................................................
........
NATIONALITY:...............................................................
...
SEX:.......................AGE:............................................
..........
MARITAL STATUS: ...........................................................
TEL NO: ............................FAX:..................................
.......
E_MAIL ADDRESS:............................................................
NEXT OF KIN: .............................................................
......
MONTHLY INCOME: (OPTIONAL)................................
OCCUPATION: ...............................................................
....
AMOUNT WON:................................................................
...
REFENCE NO:................ BATCH NO: .............................
LUCKY NO:.................. TICKET NO :................................
SERIAL NO:................... LOTTERY DATE: ...................
=======================================================
Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release
of your funds as soon as you contact him on the email and telephone numbers
stated above. You may wish to establish contact with him via e-mail with the
particulars presented above citing the batch and reference numbers to this
letter. All Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of
confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of the proceedings, and
beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest
level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems
associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary and
security measures to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this
program.
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, BUT CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT DIRECTLY
BY E-Mail: info_bank@mail.vu
Goodluck from me and members of staff of the LOTERIA-DE SANTA INC.
Yours Faithfully,

Mrs. Elena Sanchez.
Online LOTERIA -DE SANTA ON-LINE PROMOTIONS.
Sweepstakes International Program.
Copyright © 1994-2007 The LOTERIA -DE SANTA Inc.
All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guidelines.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam