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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "microsoft lottery" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: William ikesinachi02 <william_ikesinachi02@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 15:50:14 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL LOTTO COMMISSION.


CONGRATULATIONS!!!

BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL LOTTO COMMISSION.
PLOT 1009 JAVANDA HILLS AKPAKPA COTONOU ,
BENIN REPUBLIC. WEST AFRICA .
PHONE: + 229-9386 1923

EUROAFRIC LOTTO ORGANIZATION.
2006" height=65 alt="Avvisi 2006" hspace=5 src="http://www.iacpcampobasso.it/images/topics/inf012.gif" width=223 vspace=5 border=0>



LUCKY WINNING NUMBERS New
Roman" size=3> number 44" src="http://www.national-lottery.co.uk/player/i/small_balls_lotto/lotto_balls_small_44_redbg.gif"> bonus

CONGRATULATIONS FOR WINNING OUR EUROAFRIC MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROMOTIONS.

Dear Winner,


Following your email received in respect of your lottery prize, please be informed that we have contacted the BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL LOTTO COMMISSION to verify your winning. The company has confirmed your winning okay and as your processing Agent, we will like to give in details the processing stages.

PROCESSING STAGES:

1) You should send us your complete information as requested by the lottery company letter for easy communication as same will be forwarded to the paying bank.

2) As soon as we receive your full information, we shall send you the payment processing form by mail.

3) You will be required to complete the necessary information needed in the form and therein you will choose the method of payment preferable to you, either by bank draft, transfer (that is bank to bank) or you fly down here and pick up the prize.

4) As soon as we receive the form completely filled, we will start immediate processing of the payment to you.

5) Payment processing will take us maximum of 3 days to complete. We will then obtain your claim guarantee for payment certificate, this copy will be sent to the bank, in order to transfer the sum to you.

6) These are the detailed steps to follow and should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us immediately. Given our mandate and the time frame given by our principals we would request that you treat with dispatch.

Once again Congratulation.

REV. WILLIAMS,
MANAGER INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS
PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
EUROAFRIC MEGA JACKPOT
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam