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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • southernfinance@windowsvista.zzn.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "EUROMILLONES MEGA AWARD" <euromillonesmega.award@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: southernfinance@windowsvista.zzn.com
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:46:23 +0800
Subject: EUROMILLONES MEGA AWARD 2008

EUROMILLONES MEGA AWARD 2008
********************************************
Dear Sir/Madam,
Congratulations to you as we bring to your notice the result of EUROMILLION 2008 promotions. We are happy to inform you that your email address have emerged
winner of NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($950,000 USD) selected by our E-games Random Selection System (ERSS).
NOTE: to file for your claim, please contact the claim Company with the informations below.
**************************************************
SOUTHERN FINANCE
Contact Person: Mr. Mass Anderson,
Tel. : 0391022783
Email : southernfinance@windowsvista.zzn.com
**************************************************
Find below your promotion date, Reference and Batch numbers. Remember to quote these numbers in your correspondence with your claims agent.
**************************************************
(1) Ref No: ESM/WIN/008/05/10/MA
(2) Batch No: EULO/2907/444/908/08
(3) Lucky No: 3-18-40-40-76
(4) Serial No: 45407
(5) PROMOTION DATE: 8TH FEB. 2008.
**************************************************
Mr. Sow Ooh
(Lottery co-ordinator).
8th February 2008
Provide him with the information below:
1.Full Name:
2.Full Address:
3.Marital Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age:
6.Sex:
7.Nationality:
8.Country Of Residence:
9.Telephone Number:
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.
Note: All Won Prize must Be claimed/ Cleared not later than 28th of Februry 2008. After this date, all other winnings will considered as UNCLAIMED and returned to Ministerio de Economia Y Hacienda.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam