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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447031912429 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • berrymanlace_10@yahoo.co.in (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Yahoo Internet Lottery <william_gerri109@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: <berrymanlace_10@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2007 04:08:56 +0000
Subject:





You won £787 000! Yahoo! Mail congratulates you!


Messenger
YAHOO INTERNET LOTTERY

CONGRATULATIONS!YOU WON £787 000!

Yahoo Euro Million loteria Espanol Award 2007. YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON THIS YEAR EURO MILLION LOTTERY.Sir/Madam,
We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer balloting held on 30th May 2007. This is a Millennium Scientific Computer Game in which email addresses were used.

It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. You have been approve for the star prize of €787:000:00 (Seven Hundred And Eighty Seven Thousand Euros Only).

To claim your winning prize you are to contact the appointed claim agent as soon as possible for the immediate release of your winnings with the following informations below:Your Full Name..............................................Home And Office Telephone Numbers...........Mobile Telephone Number............................Fax Number...................................................
Home Mailing Address...................................
Age/Occoupation............................................Winning email address...................................Yahoo Euro Million Lotto
18 Garden Close, Stamford,Lincs, PE9 2YP, London,United Kingdom.Email: berrymanlace_10@yahoo.co.in
Contact Man: Berryman LaceDirect telephone: +44-7031912429.

Ref No.ES/037/11/06/MDBatch No: WNTO/7416/VA/ESLucky No: 07-13-31.54-640Serial No: MUOTI/82536The Validity period of the winnings is for 30 working days hence you are expected to make your claims immediately, any claim not made before this date will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE E CONOMIA Y HACIENDA .Note:You are advised to keep this winning very confidential until you receive your lump prize in your account or optional cheque issuance to you,This is a protective measure put in place to avoid people applying for your winnig fund,as we have had cases like this before.
Yours Sincerely,


DR. WILLIAM GERRI
LOTTO CO-ORDINATOR.
The Yahoo.com staffYahoo.com http://www.yahoo.com

LOTTERY SPONSOR






YAHOO INTERNET LOTTERY Corporation .






____________________________________________________________________________________
Note;
Do not reply this mail, you are to contact your claims officer immediately by email. Yahoo Internet Mail Lottery is approved and Licensed by the The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam