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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • ",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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +31622594095 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Warner-Blankenship, Jennifer" <jwarnerb@nmh.org>
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 19:50:29 -0500
Subject: AWARD ALERT

EURO-PW LOTTERY v6.0,
WEBSITE: www.europw.com
POSTBUS 636-5930 AM
TERNEUZEN, HOLLAND.
RE:OFFICIAL PRIZE AWARD NOTICE.
DEAR WINNER,
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE WON A PRIZE MONEY OF ONE MILLION EURO (1,000,000 EUR) FOR THIS MONTH (APRIL 2008), EURO-PW LOTTERY ONLINE PROMOTION, ALL THE E-MAIL ADDRESSES OF THE PARTICIPANTS LEGIBLE FOR THIS AWARD WERE SUBSCRIBERS FROM YAHOO, HOTMAIL AND OTHER E-MAIL SERVICE PROVIDERS WORLDWIDE.
ONLY FIVE WINNERS EMERGE EVERY MONTH THROUGH ELECTRONIC BALLOTING SYSTEM (E.B.S.), WE CONGRATULATE YOU FOR BEEN ONE OF THE EURO-PW v6.0 WINNER.
PLEASE CONTACT OUR APPROVED AGENT FOR YOUR REGION WITH YOUR WINNING NUMBER AND YOUR FILLED CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM BELOW.
WINNING NUMBER: EPWL/200-020/300
EURO-PW LOTTERY v6.0.
CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM.
FULL NAMES .
ADDRESS .
NATIONALITY .
COUNTRY .
TEL/FAX .
AGE/SEX .
MARITAL STATUS .
OCCUPATION .
PAYMENT OPTION
1. COURIER DELIVERY OF CERTIFIED WINNING CHEQUE (.....)
2. TRANSFER OF PRIZE MONEY VIA ONLINE BANK TRANSFER (.....)
TICK AN OPTION WHICH SUITS YOU BEST FOR THE REMITTANCE OF YOUR PRIZE MONEY TO YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL MEMBERS OF STAFF OF EURO-PW LOTTERY.
NINA T. FRIJTERS (Mrs.)
DIRECTOR; CLAIMS DEPARTMENT.
TEL: 31-622-594-095
E-MAIL: euro.pw@msn.com
FROM: WARNER-BLANKENSHIP JENNIFER
NOTE ALL CORRESPONDENCES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO euro.pw@msn.com

-----------------------------------------
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addressee. The information contained in this message is
confidential and may constitute proprietary or non-public
information under international, federal, or state laws.
Unauthorized forwarding, printing, copying, distribution, or use of
such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you
are not the addressee, please promptly delete this message and
notify the sender of the delivery error by e-mail.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam