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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million united states dollars" (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.
  • +27833712362 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • claimagentww2@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: NATIONAL WINNERS <r_w_agent020@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:49:57 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION 2008 1ST CATEGORY


(Nelson Mandela)=20
International Draw Auditors & Management=20
Co-ordinates Lotteries Headquarters=20
31,Brixon Court , Carlton East Gate,=20
South African. ********************************************************=20
We are happy to inform you that your Email Name and Company has being sele=
cted among the 100 Star/Lucky Winners Worldwide for the South African/Unit=
ed Kingdom Money Balls Lotteries Promotional Programmer based on the South=
African 2010 World Cup US$1.000.000.00 (One Million United States Dollars=
) in cash credited to:Ref. File No.:KPC/9030108308/08 and Drew Winning: 04=
/13/27/36/08=20
**************************************************=20
SOUTH AFRICAN FIDUIAL AGENT CLAIM AGENT Dr. Robert Williams=20
Tel: +27-83-371-2362=20
Fax: 27-86-513-0842=20
Email: claimagentww2@yahoo.co.uk
********** ****************************************=20
To file for your claim, you are to forward the information to the Company =
Accredited/ Authorized Representatives in order to avoid unnecessary delay=
s and complications for verification.=20
********** ****************************************=20
1, Your Full Names=20
2, Age=20
3, Present Contact Address=20
4, Country Of Residence=20
5, Phone Numbers & Country Code=20
6, Your winning information=20
7, Occupation=20
8, Mode of Payment {Bank Transfer or coming for your claim)=20
********** ****************************************=20
Also your claim award included with Free Flight Ticket and Seven (7) Days =
Hotel Reservation in one of the Five Star Hotels during the World Cup Fest=
ive in 2010.=20
**************************************************=20
Sincerely,=20
Mrs. Guten P Latimo=20
(Lottery Coordinator)=20


(Nelson Mandela)=09
EINE F=DCR ALLE: die kostenlose WEB.DE-Plattform f=FCr Freunde und Deine=20
Homepage mit eigenem Namen. Jetzt starten! *http://unddu.de/=3Fkid=3Dkid@mf2* =
[http://unddu.de/=3Fkid=3Dkid@mf2]

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam