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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand united states 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!

Fraud email example:

From: WINDOWS LIVE WINDOWS LIVE <willson_002@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <ecowas_fdv_payoutdept@yahoo.it>
Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2007 08:20:37 -0500
Subject: DONATION/GRANT



Fondazion Di Vittorio, ITALYhttp://www.fondazionedivittorio.itBATCH NO: (N-222-6747,E-900-56)CONGRATULATIONS. Congratulations The Foundazion Di Vittorio has chosen you by the boardof trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash Grant/Donation foryour own personal, educational, and business development. To celebratethe 30th anniversary program, We are giving out a yearly donation ofUS$500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) to 40 luckyrecipients, as charity donations/aid from the VittorioFoundation,ECOWAS,you are to fill the above form and send it back to theclaimagent for verification,NO: (N-222-6747,E-900-56) 1.FULL NAME_____________________2.ADDRESS_______________________3.AGE___________________________4.TELEPHONE_____________________5.SEX___________________________6.OCCUPATION:___________________7.NATIONALITY:__________________ 8.COUNTRY_______________________9.NEXT OF KIN:__________________Executive Secretary: Mr. Adams Peter. E-Mail: ecowas_fdv_payoutdept@yahoo.ithttp://www.fondazionedivittorio.it
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam