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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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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:

• 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:
  • "claims agent" (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 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.
  • robet@uk2.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Blink john" <binland0220@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2008 06:16:29 -0800
Subject: DETAILS INSIDE....


SUPER AWARD PROMOTION
Congratulations to you as we bring to your notice the result of
EURO SUPER AWARD PROMOTION, 2008promotions.

We are happy to inform you that your email address have emerged
winner of SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDREDAND TEN EUROS
(715,810)
NOTE: to file for your claim, please contact or forward the notice back to
the claim Company with the informations below.
**************************************************
GRUPO EULEN SEGURIDAD S.A
Mr. ROBET FRANCK
Email : Robet@uk2.net
**********************************************
Find below your promotion date, Reference and Batch numbers. Remember to
quote these numbers in your correspondence with your claims agent Mr. ROBET
FRANCK
**************************************************
(1) Ref No: ESG/WIN/008/05/10/MA
(2) Batch No: EULO/2907/444/928/06
(3) Lucky No: 3-18-40-40-76
(4) Serial No: 45407
(5) PROMOTION DATE: 28th Dec. 2007.
**************************************************
Best Regards,
Mrs. Finela Transofa
(Lottery co-ordinator).
Madrid, 26th Jan, 2008
NOTE: All prize money must be claimed not later than 18th of JUNE, 2008.
After this date, the funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y
HACIENDA as unclaimed

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam