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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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• 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:
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447045711680 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Elizabeth Walter" <charities21@myway.com>
Reply-To: markforrester0016@myway.com
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:17:37 -0500 (EST)
Subject: ATTENTION!!!


REF NO: CLP/ 24-FB-426253 BATCH: 42/450002/CLP This is for your attention.We wish to notify you again that you were listed as a beneficiary to the total sum of Four hundred and Twenty Thousand British Pounds Sterling.To claim your winning prize, you must first contact the claims department by email or phone for processing and remittance of your prize money to you. The claims officer contact email is: Processing Officer Mr. Mark Forrester Email:markforrester0016@myway.comTel:+44 70457 11680NOTE: Please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences with this office. Our legal department would process your claims with both the British gaming board and the European Monetary Union.In your acceptance of this award, we request that you kindly forward your letter of acceptance your current telephone and fax numbers and a forwarding address to enable us file necessary documents with the gaming board for the release of this sum of money.Sincerely, Elizabeth
Walter (Mrs.)

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam