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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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• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "yahoo lottery inc" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "greater london" (a common phrase found 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 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.
  • info.msnawardteams@excite.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: toreth4@mchsi.com (Microsoft Award Lottery)
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007 06:14:11 +0000
Subject: YOUR EMAIL ID HAVE WON (£2,500.000)

Msn Award Team
Baley House, Har Road
Sutton, Greater London
SM1 4te United Kingdom.
Batch: 12/25/0340
Ref:MSN-Y/101OXI/02

Hello Winner

Congratulations to you as we bring to your notice the result of YAHOO LOTTERY
INC & WINDOWS LIVE.YAHOO & MICROSOFT WINDOWS. We are happy to inform you that
your email address have emerged a winner of TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
POUNDS (£2,500.000).NOTE: to file for your claim,please contact the claim
department below.NOTE:To fill for your claim, please contact the claims
department With the following information.

1.Full name............
2.Country..............
3.Contact Address........
4.Telephone Number.......
5.Marital Status.........
6.Occupation.............
7.Age....................

Mr. Emmanuel Loiseau
(VERIFICATION DEPARTMENT MANAGER)
Email:info.msnawardteams@excite.co.uk
Find below your promotion date, Reference and Batch numbers. Remember to quote
these numbers in your correspondence with your claims agent

FROM:YAHOO LOTTERY INC & WINDOWS LIVE.YAHOO & MICROSOFT WINDOWS
Batch number.....12/25/0340
Reff number......Ref:MSN-Y/101OXI/02
Winning number.....YM09788

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam