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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:
  • ",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.
  • +31619281884 (Netherlands, 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.
  • fortisfins@inbox.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MEGA MILLIONS LOTTERY" <megamillionlottiga@aim.com>
Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:04:05 +0100
Subject: You are a winner in our Programme !!!!!!

MEGA MILLIONS LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL.
AUDERGHUM 89, 1074
BRUSSELS-BELGIUM.

FROM: INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.

REFERENCE: 87/60/IPDHJK662091
BATCH: EU-983-741-2883992MG02

Sir/Madam,

The Mega Lottery Promotion team is proud to inform you of the Mega Millions
Lottery
Online International E-mail programs held on the 1ST OF NOVEMBER 2007.And
result
where release on the 7TH OF NOVEMBER 2007. Your E-mail address attached to
ticket number
07 09 31 29 41 07 02 with serial main number 605-990-291-681 which
consequently won in the
1ST category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
1.500.000.00 Euro.
(One Million Five Hundred Thousand Euro).

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning
information confidential until your claims has been processed and your
money
remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming and
unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants
were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000 company
and
50,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.
This lottery was promoted and sponsored by European Union Lottery Board in
order
to enhance and promote the use of Internet Explorer Users and
Microsoft-wares around
the globe. This promotional program takes place every Month. We hope with
part
of your winning you will take part in our end of year 28 million Euro
International
Jackpot.
To file in for the processing and release of your money, you are advised to
contact our
accredited Paying Bank with the information stated below:

***************************************************************************
***********
FORTIS FINANCE INC.
Amsterdam-Netherlands.
Contact Officer: Mr. Peter Anderson
(Director of Operations)
Tel: + 31-61-928-1884
Fax: + 31-84-736-7601
E-mail: fortisfins@inbox.com
***************************************************************************
**********

You are to furnish them with the following:

1.First Name:
2. Last Name:
3. Telephone:
4. Fax number:
5. Address:
6. Nationality::
7. Reference Number:
8. Batch Number:

NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than 10 days, thereafter
unclaimed funds would be forfeited
after a trio repeated forwarding of this message to you without your
response.

Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please
remember
to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Furthermore,
should there be any change of address do inform us as soon as possible.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being
part of
our promotional program.

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Rosemary Philips
(Coordinator)
Mega Million Lottery International.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam