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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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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:
  • ",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)
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +27786106611 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: lotto board <l.b160d@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:31:22 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS :You Have Won ($2,400,000.00) On The Pick winners
Promotions.



POKER ONLINE PROMOTIONNational Office,157-197 Burgsburg Palace Road,Eastern CapeRef Number: ZAR/J0021-671/SA2007Batch number 002472/B8992-07. Dear Lucky Winner We wish to congratulate you over your success in our computer balloting sweepstake held on Monday 28th January 2008.This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for the game.However, your email address was attached to ticket number 728-10185-03124-78-288: with serial number 6712/07 draw the lucky numbers 01-05-13-267-32-05,which eventually won the lottery in the first categoryof the draws. Therefore, you have won a lottery jackpot prize awards of $2,400,000.00 (Two million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars Only) This is from total prize money of US$30,000,000.00 distributed to winners from 1st to 3rd categories. Note that this program was largely promoted and sponsored by a group of philanthropist, industrialists from the internet ware industry and some other big multinational firms who wish to be anonymous. You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the particulars presented below citing the batch and reference numbers to this letter.Telephone lines are open between the hours of 8. 00 am - 7. 30 pm on Monday through Friday Customer Service Unit,Tel no: +27-786106611Email: claimd@live.co.zaContact person: MR. ANTON BROOKS NOTE: YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FILL IN THE BELOW DETAILS FOR THE PROCESSING OFYOUR CLAIM.NAME:..................................EMAIL ADDRESS:............................ADDRESS:.......................................................NATIONALITY:...........................SEX:.........................................AGE:.....................................PHONE/MOBILE:..........................FAX:...................................OCCUPATION:....................................COMPANY:..............................BATCH/WINNINGNUMNBER:............................................PLEASE YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS AND ABOVE TO CLAIM A PRIZE.Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. CONGRATULATIONS !!!At your disposal, we remain.Very Truly Yours,Jessica Zuma (Mrs.),Director.International Promotions Unit,ZA Poker PromotionsNational Office,
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam