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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:
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +22993013428 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Treasury Dept <lottotreasurydepartment1@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2007 21:44:25 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: 2nd Category Prize Winner


Attn; 2nd Category Prize Winner,

I am writing in respect to your $915,810 Lotto Winnings payment, We received your email regarding your Lotto Prize winning payment, and I can confirm to you that a Check of $915,810.00 United States dollars only, has been signed and drafted for payment to you. After you emerged as one of the winners, several attempts was made by our Lotto claim Agency to contact you for the immediate payment of your prize but all messages sent to you by mail was not responded to and that was the reason your winning prize money was returned to our department.I tried to call your telephone but it was not reachable.

Due to our security measures to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of the situation by other unlucky participants or impersonators, you are advised to keep your winning details of this award personal and very confidential against any third party till your claims have been processed and your funds remitted or paid to you. Any discrepancies resulting from a breach of this confidentiality on the part of the winners will be covered solely by such winner as our staffs are bound by the oath of secrecy taken on employment.

Your prize money is with our department here and you are hereby invited to our address at; Juan Hurtado De Mendoza 6D 28044, Cotonou Republic du Benin for collection of the Check.
But if you are unable to report to the above office then you should include your details as follows:

YOUR FULL NAMES
YOUR CURRENT HOME CONTACT ADDRESS
YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER

And I will make arrangement for the delivery of your check through Courier to you for pick up and payment.
You should choose the most convenient way to receive your payment immediately and notify me immediately because after the 31st of July 2007 any unclaimed prize will have to be forfeited by the Organisers.
For swift communications and urgency feel free to write or call me on +22993013428 for help and assistance.

Best Regards,
Morgan Anderson
Lotto Treasury Department.
Tel:+229 93013428.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam