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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:
  • "million british pounds" (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)
  • "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.
  • +447011128882 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • williamwilcoxoffice2008@yahoo.gr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: williamwilcoxoffice2008@yahoo.gr
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:13:13 +1300
Subject: FREE LOTTO RESULT 2008:THIS MESSAGE NEEDS AN URGENT REPLY!!!


RESULTS FOR CATEGORY "A" DRAWS
WINNING NOTIFICATION
This is to notify you of the release of the lottery winning, held on
The 4th of Febraury 2008.Due to the mix up of numbers, the results were
released on the 9th of Febraury 2008. Your e-mail
address attached to ticket number: 703218509 Under Agent ID: 10 and
lucky ball number, which subsequently won you the
Lottery inThe 2nd category.
Lucky ball number
11, 13, 26, 34, 44, 48, bonus number 2
You have therefore been qualified for a lump sum payout of 4,000,000.00
(Four Million British Pounds) in cash
In your favor, as the soul beneficiary the prize has been insured with
A hard INSURANCE POLICY called the IRREVOCABLE GURANTY BOUND. That
makes the
Prize NON-DEDUCTABLE. Due to mix up of some names
And winning Numbers, we advice all winners to keep this information
confidential From the public until your claim has
been
Processed and your prize released to you. This is part of our security
Protocol to avoid online impersonation and Double claiming of prizes. 8
Winners were selected online from over 50
million email addresses world wide from 8 Different countries, with a
Microsoft Powered ballot system your email, was among the lucky 8
CONGRATULATIONS ONCE MORE! To redeem your prize instantly, you are to
contact
your
Lottery
Agent Mr. Williams Wilcox.
Mr. Williams Wilcox
Email:williamwilcoxoffice2008@yahoo.gr
Tel:+447011128882

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam