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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:

• 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:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • +447031927680 (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.
  • wolferson_sdonations@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: shellonline@mchsi.com ( Mrs. Allen Melinder.)
Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 05:41:22 +0000
Subject: IMPORTANT NOTICE (Contact Mr. Ed Wolferson)

Ref No: G8/EU/2222/07G

Dear Donation Beneficiary,

NOTICE OF GRANT AWARD

The Shell Foundation United Kingdom, is glad to notify you that you have been
chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash
Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and

business development.

To celebrate the 6th anniversary program, the Shell Foundation United Kingdom
in conjunction with other relevant bodies is giving out a yearly donation of £
16,000,000 GB Pounds (Sixteen Million Great Britain

Pounds Sterlings ) to 20 lucky recipients. These specific Donations/Grants will
be awarded to recipients worldwide; in different categories for their personal
business development and enhancement of their

educational plans. At least 15% of the awarded funds should be used to develop a
part of your environment.

You were selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of £
800,000.00 GB Pounds ( Eight Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds Sterlings) as
charity donations/aid from the Shell Foundation

United Kingdom in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament.

You will be required to fill the form below and email it to our Finance Officer
below for documentation and processing of the remittance of your grant. After
contacting our office with the requested data, you will

be given your donation pin number, which you will use in collecting the funds.
Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers (G8-222-6747, EU-900-56) in
all correspondence.

===========================================
FULL NAMES:
ADDRESS:
COUNTRY:
SEX:
AGE:
MARITAL STATUS:
OCCUPATION:
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
===========================================
SEND ALL YOUR CLAIMS AND INQUIRIES TO

Mr. Ed Wolferson
Financial Officer,
Shell Foundation.
Tel: +44-703-192-7680
Fax: +44-709-288-9285
Email: wolferson_sdonations@yahoo.co.uk

All information is strictly confidential and will only be used for the purpose
to which it is been requested.

Finally, all funds should be claimed by their respective beneficiaries, no
later than 21 days after notification. Failure to do so will result to outright
cancellation..

On behalf of the Board, kindly accept our warmest congratulations.

Regards.

Mrs. Allen Melinder.
Grants Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam