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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • +8613249688864 (China, 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.
  • changlazarus@yahoo.co.uk
  • swiftcard_payments@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: CHANG_LAZARUS@ecunet.org (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:03:11 -0600
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE FROM TOYOTA PRIZE AWARD.

MR CHANG LAZARUS
PROMO AGENT.
TOYOTA PRIZE AWARD.
EMAIL: changlazarus@yahoo.co.uk

DEAR WINNER,
THIS IS TO INFORM ALL THE LUCKY WINNERS OF OUR PROMO,THAT AWARD CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN ISSUED TO YOU,SO IF YOU HAVE NEVER RECIEVED IT MAKE SURE THAT YOU MAKE A COMPLAIN IMMIDIETLY.
ALSO,MAKE SURE THAT YOU FOLLOW UP THE CLAIMS PROPERLLY AS OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS IS THAT ALL THE LUCKY WINNERS MUST APPEAR TO COLLECT HIS/HER ATM CARD OR TO RECIEVE IT THROUGH COURIER SERVICES BECAUSE OF SECURITY REASONS.

TO APPLY IN PERSON TO CLAIM YOUR ATM CARD IS FREE OF CHARGE,BUT IF YOU COULD NOT BE ABLE TO COME DOWN HERE TO PICK UP YOUR CARD,THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THE CARD CENTER TOGETHER WITH YOUR CONTACT ADRESS,TELEPHONE NUMBER SO THAT YOUR WINNING PRIZES COULD BE SENT TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

CONTACT THEM THROUGH EMAIL OR PHONE AND SEND YOUR CONTACT INFORMATIONS TO THEM AT:

Swift Card Payment International Settlement
#5 Tower C Zhongliang Plaza
Jianguomen Street Beijing China
Tel:+ 86 13249688864.
EMAIL: swiftcard_payments@yahoo.com
tangjhon@swiftcardpayment.com

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR MORE ENQUIRIES.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU,AND CONGRATULATIONS ONCE MORE.

MR CHANG LAZARUS.
PROMO AGENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam