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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:

• 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)
  • "cashier's check" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +34687134727 (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.
  • meritconsult@yahoo.es
  • meritconsults@aol.com

Fraud email example:

From: interlink depts <somosinterdepts@web.de>
Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:01:45 +0100
Subject: Your Email Addres Has Won Award!!!





CONGRATULATION WINNER !!!
Award Prize Dept
Madrid Spain

Dear Beneficiary

We are please to announce you as one of the 10 lucky winners in the Euro Millones Lottery International Email Address draw on the 9th of November 2007, due to the mixture of names and address the result was released on the 12th November 2007.

All 10 winning addresses were ran domly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international email addresses. Your email address emerged a longside 9 others as a category 2 winner in the Euro Millones LotteryDraw.Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of Eur 950,000.00(Nine Hundred And Fifty Thousand Euro Only).

The following particulars are attached t o your lotto payment order:

(1) Batch No: EULO/2907/ES/783
(2) Ticket No: TLM/WW S/1089
(3) Lucky No: 07-13-31.54-8921
(4) Serial No: MUH/KL/2349
(5) Ref No: EMJK/WS/MD/2911

The Euro Millones Lottery Program internet draw is held once in a year and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide. We are proud to say that over 200 Million Euros are wo n 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 immedi ate release of your winnings

Mr Raymond Kent
Merit Consults.S.L
Calle Brunol Nº45
P.C 28015 Madrid-Spain
E-mail: meritconsult@yahoo.es [mailto:meritconsult@yahoo.es]
E-mail: meritconsults@aol.com [mailto:meritconsults@aol.com]
Tel:+34 687 134 727

then you will be informed by your ag ent on how your Cashier's Check for the sum w hich has already been deposited with your email contact.We use this opportunity to thank all our Sponsors/Contributo rs of th i s program:He ineken,Sony,master card,Vodafone,play station,Ford. For payment, please do provide with the following informations And send to our Agent via

VERIFICATION FORM

NAME:..................... .......................................
AGE:............................................... .............
SEX:.............................................................
ADDRESS: ........ .............. ..................................
WINNING EMAIL ADDRESS:.................................
TEL.& MOBILE............................................................
OCCUPATION:......................................................
COUNTRY:.........................................................

Please you are advised to complete the form and forward to your a gent for prompt collec tion. You are automatically disqualified if you are below 18 years of age.This E-mail message (including attachments, if any)is intended for the u se of the indivi dual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain Information that is privileged,proprietary,confidential and exempted from disclosure.

Sincerely Yours,

Mrs Betty Rice
PROMOTION CORDINATOR




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam