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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• 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.
  • +447031842071 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "SCOTT ANDERSON" <sanderson.fiduciaryagent@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 07:18:06 -0700
Subject: Re: Ref: 26YBWLW/9967451/01


Kindly accept my congratulations for being selected as one of the
lucky winners. The onus is on you to satisfy the Board that you are
really the winner by complying with the requirements.
Please to claim your prize, kindly forward your following winning
details listed hereunder to the processing manager to enable him
submit your claims to the department of Claims and Verification to
ascertain the authenticity of your claim.
1. Your ticket number.
2. Your Serial number.
3. Your lucky numbers
4. The amount you won.
5. Your Full names
6. Your present occupation and the name of your business or company.
7. Your full and complete residential address.
8. Your Direct and private telephone and fax numbers.
As soon as the above details are received, it will be taken to the
verification department for submission as the department requested for
official documentation of your details which will enable the approval
and issuance of your winning certificate and other documents which
will be sent to you.
Remember that due to the maximum time frame allowed for winners to
claim their prizes, you do not need to waste time in claiming your
winning fund. This is why you have to comply with instructions given
to you as swiftly as possible to enable you receive your money soon.
Kindly state clearly your winning details to avoid making payments to
a wrong person.
Best Regard,
Mr. Scott Anderson
Phone + 44 703 184 2071

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam