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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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• What can you do when you receive 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:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "el gordo " (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• 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 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.
  • +34652655286 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: gunees amors <b.77din@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <lottpri55@aim.com>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 17:15:22 +0200
Subject: sir/madam


Dear Winner, Your ticket number: 0023-0148-790-459 with Serial number 765368/95 drew the lucky number: 929768768.Congratulations, you have just won yourself 1.5million Euros in the satellite software email EL GORDO DE LA LOTTO PRIMITIVA conducted on the 22nd of May in spain, e-mail addresses are picked randomly by software powered by the Internet.Your email address was amongst those chosen this quarter and you are to contact our CLAIMS AGENTMr.Gomez-SanzEmail: lotprimi27@aim.comTel/+34-652-655-286you are to forward the following details to enable us clear your file for immediate payment: 1. Full Names: -----------------------------
2. Address----------------------------------3. Age: __________________________
4. Sex:-------------------------- 5. Marital Status------------------ 6. Occupation: _____________________
7. Phone numbers: _____________________
8. Fax number: ________________________
9. Country: __________________________
Yours faithfully, Valdes-Gio (Online Coordinator)

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam