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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:

• 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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",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)
  • ",500,000" (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.
  • +31647283937 (Netherlands, 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.
  • inquiryoffice1@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • bureauinquiry1@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "INTERNATIONAL BUREAU" <upperrock.gtb@gibtelecom.net>
Reply-To: inquiryoffice1@aim.com
Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 07:11:49 +0200
Subject: [URGENT]: You are Selected; Call to Confirm!


LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
PRIZE/PROMOTION AWARD DEPT.
Ref Number: PW 9590 ES 9414
Batch Number: 573881545-NL/2007
Ticket Number:PP 3502 /8707-01
Winning Amount: $2,500,000.00.

The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive
list of 25,000,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate
bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer search
from the internet.

No tickets were sold.

After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address
emerged as a winner in the category "A" To file in for the
processing of your prize winnings, you are advised to contact
our Certified and Accredited claims agent for category "A"
winners with the information below:

*************************************
Claims Agent.
Name: Ralph Germain
Phone: +31 647 283 937
Email: inquiryoffice1@aim.com
Email: bureauinquiry1@yahoo.de
*************************************
You are advised to provide him with the following information:

Names:
Telephone/Fax number:
Nationality:
Occupation:
Age:

Congratulations on your Winning Prize and we look forward to
completing your payout soon.

Yours Faithfully,

Mary Jones
Lottery Coordinator.

***This email may contain information which is confidential
and/or privileged. The information is intended solely for the
use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the
intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying,
distribution or use of the contents is prohibited. If you have
received this electronic transmission in error, please notify
the sender by telephone or return email and delete the material
from your computer***

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam