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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:
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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",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.
  • +27799361909 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • wigersfinance@webmail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: cafcommittee2007@aim.com
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:56:25 +0200
Subject: GOOD NEWS, NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LOTTERY WINNINGS!!

ATTENTION

NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LOTTERY WINNINGS

We wish to inform you of the lottery draws held on the 27th of August 2007 to declare the winners of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South Africa Football Association (SAFA).
This lottery scheme created to bring awareness to the world, being that South Africa is hosting the next world cup in 2010. Your email, attached to Ticket number SA35-00076-4512-444, with Serial number 565-07 drew the lucky numbers 32-66-777233 and consequently won the lottery.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$2,200,000.00 in cash credited to file REF NO: SAFA/200702/0311. This is from total prize money of US$22,000,000.00 shared among the ten international winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 17,000 names from
Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Europe and Middle East and Asia as part of our International Promotions Program, which is conducted every quarter of the year.

To begin your claim process,contact your claims agent below and also fill the winner verification
form below and forward to the fiduciary agent immediately via email.

WINGERS FINANCE & SECURITIES
Agent Name: Mr. Thomas Botha
Email:wigersfinance@webmail.co.za
Address: Marbley Mansion
252 High Street, Melville
Johannesburg, South Africa
24 Hours office hotline no: +27 79 936 1909


VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM

Full name: ................................................................
Age: ......................................................................
Sex: ......................................................................
Marital Status:............................................................
Email address:.............................................................
Residential address: ......................................................
Nationality: ..............................................................
Occupation: ...............................................................
Amount Won.................................................................
Telephone Number: .........................................................
Fax Number:................................................................
Reference Number:..........................................................
Batch Number:..............................................................
Serial Number:.............................................................
Lucky Number:..............................................................
State:.....................................................................
Country:...................................................................

Warning!!!: Fraudulent emails are circulating that appear to be using National Lottery addresses, but are not from The National Lottery.

PLEASE REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO CUSTOMER CARE/COMPLAINTS DEPT
Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than ten days after notice. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your
Reference and Batch Numbers in every one of your correspondences with your claims agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all our staff..........


Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Sappa.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam