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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:
  • "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.
  • +447045705330 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448701355854 (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.
  • mar.darren@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Julia Anderson <jul_anders116@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2007 03:33:10 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTICE FOR SILVER STAKE WINNER- Ref. No.-
SLI/051/652659967/NL




FROM: PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT OF STAATS LOTERIJ INTERNATIONAL,WINNING NOTICE FOR SILVER STAKE WINNER- Ref. No.- SLI/051/652659967/NLAttention: Staats Loterij International has just concluded its final draws of it's periodical promotional program.An exclusive list of email addresses of thousands of individual and corporate bodies were picked by automated random computer search from the internet.No tickets were sold.Your email address emerged as one of five(5) winners in the silver stakes category as email addresses were soughted, from a total number of 75,000 addresses drawn from all over the globe.After an automated computer ballot of our International Promotions Program, only FIVE winners emerged in this category and therefore each are to receive payouts of €1,800,000.00 from the total of €9,000,000.00 (NINE MILLION EUROS).However,every email address selected was accompanied by a reference and ticket number, after the cyber lotto selection, the below ticket and reference numbers emerged as one of the lucky winners in the above category.CONGRATULATIONS!!!Reference number for your prize is:Ref. No.-SLI/051/652659967/NLTicket No.-SLI87867NL For your prize claim processing, we have employed the service of an lnternational Trust firm. They are to handle the transfer of your cash prize of €1,800,000.00 in line with our procedures and upon your directions. Your prize has been insured to its full value with your email address and will be transferred to you under their professional service.To immediately initiate the processing of your prize claim, please contact our financial handlers Corporate Finance & Securities,below are the contact information of their FINANCIAL DIRECTOR;Mr.Mark DarrenFinancial DirectorCorporate Finance & Securities Company,United Kingdom.Email:mar.darren@hotmail.com Phone:+44-704-570-5330Fax:+44-870-135-5854In your best interest(s), you must initiate contact within two weeks of receipt of this correspondence.Corporate Finance & Securities Company are to handle all matters with regards to claiming of your prize money. You are also advised to send a copy of this email,to your claims agent Mr.Mark Darren, when contacting him.You may be required to provide any of the above information during the process of collecting your prize. We congratulate you once again and it is our hope that you participate in any of our international programs in the nearest future.Thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!!!Sincerely,Julia Anderson,Promotions Manager,Staats Loterij International,Netherlands.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam