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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +31614335176 (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.
  • gdeboer@muchomail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: adirk@voila.fr
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:35:29 +0100 (CET)
Subject: *** SPAM *** From:Mrs Angela Dirk


From:Mrs Angela Dirk
INTERNATONAL E-MAIL AWARD DEPARTMENT
STAATSLOTERIJ NL.
Ref No: CHI/15-027/11
Batch No: 22/2017/ING
Attn: Dear Sir/Madam,
FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION!
We are pleased to inform you of the results of the Staatsloterij Netherlands Lottery programs held on 05th of November 2007. With your e-mail address attached to Ticket No: 12037 and Lucky No:23-077.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of €750,000.- (Seven Hundred and fifty thousand euros) in cash. Congratulations!
To begin your claim, do file for the release of your winning by contacting your Accredited Claims Agent;
MR. George De Boer (Foreign Operations Manager)
STAATSLOTERIJ DEN-HAGUE
E-mail: gdeboer@muchomail.com
Tel: +31-614-335-176
Fax: +31-847-473-870

Please note that your winnings has to be notarized and your certificate of award issued before your prize money is released to you.And all winnings must be claimed not later than three weeks after notice is sent.After this date all unclaimed winnings will be nullified.
Do not respond to this email,Contact your claims agent now with all necessary informations including contact telephone/fax numbers and winning details.
Congratulations!!!
Yours faithfully,
Mrs Angela Dirk
Lottery/Promotions Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam