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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned 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 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.
  • +22993809516 (Benin, probably a 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.
  • oecowasgrantboardlottery@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "officefiles post" <officefilespost@klikni.cz>
Date: Sun, 18 May 2008 12:23:18 -0700
Subject: Congratulation !!! You Have Won!!!


ECOWAS GRANT BOARD LOTTERY ORGANIZATION OF WEST AFRICA
States Official Secretariat Plot 433 Cotonou Benin Republic
Email: oecowasgrantboardlottery@yahoo.fr

Ref: XYL /26510460037/08
Batch: 24/00319/IPD

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of
(US$2,896,385) Two Million Eight Hundred Ninety Six Thousand Three Eight
Five United State Dollars Only held
on 12th may, 2008 in Benin Republic West Africa.

The selection process was carried out through random selection in Our
computerized email selection system(ess) from a database of over 250,000
email Addresses drawn of number:
564 75600545188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:
19-6-26-17-35-7, which subsequently among the won which you were selected.

Contact our fiduciary agent for claims with:

(Agents Name:Reveren Benjamin Osoko )

Email: reveresoko.oko@klikni.cz
Tel: +229 938 09516
Fax: +229 938 09516

Fill the below:__________________

1. Name: __________________________
2. Address ______________________
3. Marital Status: ____________________
4. Occupation: ________________________
5. Age:____________________________
6. Sex:____________________________
7. Nationality: _______________________
8. Country of Residence: ______________________
9. Telephone Number:________________________

PAYMENT MODE: OPTIONS

A ) BANK TO BANK WIRE TRANSFER.
B ) BANK DRAFT OR ATM CARD MAILING THROUGH COUIRE SERVICE

Yours faithfully,
Sincerely,
Mrs.Rachelle kamala

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam