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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:
  • "from the desk of" (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)
  • "deadline" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +34676284745 (Spain, 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.
  • harmonytrust1@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Euro Millones Lottery <harmonytrust1@aim.com>
Date: 27 Sep 2007 20:33:40 +0200
Subject: AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION!!!

Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit


FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
EURO MILLONES LOTTERY
AWARD DEPT.C/PADILLO 24,28069
MADRID,SPAIN.
RE -AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION
We are please to inform you on the released announcement on the 25th of September 2007 as one of the lucky winners in the Euro Millones Lottery International program held on 2nd of september 2007.Due to mix up of names and numbers, the result were released on the 26th of September 2007. All 10 winning names were randomly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international addresses through computer ballot system Your lucky name emerged alongside 9 others as a category 3 winner in the Euro Millones Lottery Draw.

Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of USD830, 590:00 (Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety United States Dollars Only).The following particulars are attached to your lottery payment order:
(I) Batch No: TTOW/1989/TAC
(ii) Ticket No: 777-312-009
(iii) Lucky No: 01-10-22-33-54
(iv) Ref No: WUMT/XX43/9000/LAES
(V) Serial No: MMUEU/U423/876
The Euro Millones Lottery Program draw is held once in a year We are proud to say that over 200 Million Euros are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.
To claim your winning prize you are to contact the appointed agent as soon as possible for the immediate release of your winnings:

Dr. JIM HARRY (Foreign Operation Manager)
HARMONY TRUST AGENCY
TEL: +34 676 284 745
Email;harmonytrust1@aim.com

NB: Steps towards claiming your prize;
1. Please quote your Reference number in all correspondence with your agent.
2. You must contact the appointed agent with your Full Names, Contact Telephone Numbers (Home, Office and Mobile Number and also Fax Number) via email and fax to facilitate the immediate payment of your prize.
Please be aware that the paying bank will effect payment swiftly upon satisfactory report, verifications and validation provided by fiducial agent.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information Confidential till your claims are processed and your money remitted to you
Be informed that the deadline to claim your winning prize money is 14th october, 2007.
Once again congratulations!!!
Best regards,
Mrs.Ann Lopez
Award Department
Euro Millones Lottery

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam