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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand u.s dollars" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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 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.
  • ecommerceinfo1@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: E-COMMERCE FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL <ecfdatabase5@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:27:34 +0100
Subject: STRICTLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS



E-COMMERCE FOUNDATION INTERNATIONALRegional Office: Heidelberglaan 23481 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands. We are using this avenue to announce to you your success in our recently concluded international email ballot draw which was in collaboration with Euro Million International Lottery (no ticket was sold). Your email won in the first category draw and therefore entitled to a payout of $3,200,000.00 (three million, two hundred thousand U.S Dollars) only. Your e-ticket number is 03 1 092 900 ECF, Batch number: EU-LW027541 and the winning numbers are 22-30-34-35-44 *4*5. You are required to send the following details: Full names; address (not P.O. Box); Telephone number, and Winning email address to the claims coordinator;PROFESSOR MANDER BOUWContact telephone: (31) 619 317 420Email: ecommerceinfo1@yahoo.de Note: Payout will be strictly to winners who officially file in for their prize claims. You are also to keep all winning information away from the general public especially you E-ticket and winning numbers (this is important as cases of double claims will not be entertained). Also, persons UNDER 18 years and members of AFFILLIATE agencies are not eligible to participate in this programme. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Yours faithfully, Marijm VancoskyExecutive Secretary
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam