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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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• 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:
  • "million united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +8613697479440 (China, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Rose" <lottomailjackpot@yahoo.com.hk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: paymenttransfer@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:17:08 +0800
Subject:


Attn=3A Winner=2C
We wish to congratulate you over the Beijing 2008 Olympic Promo success in our computer balloting held on 5th of December 2007=2E
This is a Millennium Scientific Computer Game in which email addresses were extracted with a software and the addresses were scrutinized with a ballot system =2E
It is a promotional program aimed to encouraging internet users=3B which you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it=2E
Your email address has been picked up in the second category and you have been approve for the star prize of US $1000=2C000=2E00=28One Million United State Dollars Only=29=2E
To claim your winning prize you will need to contact our payee bank as soon as possible for the immediate release of your winnings=3A
Dr=2EJohn
HEAD OF DEPARTMENTS
TELEGRAPHICS TRANSFER SECTION
CHINA CONSTRUCTION BANK=2E
GUANGZHOU=2CGUANGDONG BRANCH
CHINA=2E
TEL=3A+86-136-974-79440
EMAIL=3Apaymenttransfer=40yahoo=2Ecom
ctp=40accountant=2Ecom =3Cmailto=3Actp=40accountant=2Ecom=3E
You must contact Our Payee Bank with your =3A
1Full Names
2Contact Telephone Number
3=2EOccupation
4=2ESex
5=2EAge
6=2ECountry
7=2ENationalty
8=2ESerial no
9=2Elucky No
10=2EBatch no
Note =3A As a winners in this lottery programme=2Cyou will be obliged to attend an expensive-trip paid Lottery promotional Seminar Organised by the BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 and FIFA COMMITTE in CHINA in month of April 2008 Which you will be sponsor with 2 of your family to attend 2008 olympics=2Cwith free flight ticket=2E
Once again congratulations !!!
Best Regards=2C
Anita Rose=28Mrs=2E=29
=28Coordinator=29=2E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam