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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:
  • "high insurance policy" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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)
  • ",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)
• 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 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.
  • martinsassociates@infohq.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: OLIVIER DOMINIQUE <olivierdominique@mail.com>
Reply-To: martinsassociates@infohq.com
Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:37:05 +0100
Subject: CONTACT YOUR CLAIM AGENT


MICROSOFT E-MAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD.
BACTH NO: LDD/3172/908/07
REF. NO. LDD/2191/2110//07
This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL LOTTERY BALLOT
INTERNATIONAL/WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 26TH of NOVEMBER 2007 .
Due to the mix up of number, the results were released on the 1TH DECEMBER

2007
Your name attached to ticket number 9685410237 with serial number
4722215874
drew the lucky numbers of 4452185203 which consequently won the lottery
in
the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of, 800,000:00
Only
(EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) in cash which is
deposited with Finance & Security Company in your favour as beneficiary
and
covered with HIGH INSURANCE POLICY.
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your
winning
information confidential until your claims has been processed and your
money
Remitted to you. This is part of our security measures to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
All participants were selected through a computer balloting system
drawn
from only Microsoft users from over 20,000 company, and 30,000,000
individual email addresses and names from all over the world.
To begin your lottery claim, please contact the processing department
below
that has been appointed for the processing of your claim with your full
name, contact telephone and fax number to begin the processing of your
claim.
.Martins and Associate
AVOCAT: Martins
Email:martinsassociates@infohq.com
Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 31th JANUARY 2008
after
this date all Unclaimed, funds will be included in the next stake.
Please
note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications remember to
quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent
as
soon as possible. Congratulations once more from our members of staff
and
thank you for being part of our promotional program. Note: Anybody
under the
age of 18 is automatically disqualified.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs Olivier Dominique.
(Lottery coordinator)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam