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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • rosawilia_5@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: Patrick Benoit <p_benoit1@yahoo.it>
Reply-To: mr.patrick_b@yahoo.com.mx
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:35:46 +0100 (CET)
Subject: FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, TIENS LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, UK.


FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, TIENS LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, UK.

Dear Winner,

AWARD NOTIFICATION/FINAL PAYMENT NOTICE.

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, 20th march, 2008, of Winners of the TIENS LOTTERY PROMO, UNITED KINGDOM. draws held on 4th October, 2007. Your email address attached to ticket number: 977-9662-855-244, with serial number : 0336-79 drew the lucky numbers : 00-47-12-98-44-33, and consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out of (áØ1.500.000.00) One Million, five hundred thousand British Pounds in cash credited to Reference number : 095574118088??TIENS. This is from total prize Money Of (áØ25.500.000.00) Twenty-Five Million, five hundred
thousand British Pounds shared among the seventeen International
winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer Ballot System drawn from 25,000 email addresses from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, North America and Asia as Part of International Promotions Program, which is Conducted Annually.

To begin your claim, quote your Reference and contact our Director, Claims/Remittance Department:

Mrs. Rosa Williams, Email: rosawilia_5@yahoo.com.hk

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Patrick Benoit


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam