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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:

• 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")
• 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.
  • cl_agent2007@mail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: CLAIMINGAWARD <claward12@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: cl_agent2007@mail.ru
Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 17:35:04 +0200
Subject: AWARD BENEFICIARY.


FROM THE INTERNATIONAL EMAIL LOTTO
BURKINA-FASO CLAIMING AGENTS,OUAGA BP SEC 147

DEAR AWARD BENEFICIARY.
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the INTERNATIONAL EMAIL
LOTTERY RAFFLE DRAW International programs held on the the 28of
december,2007.

Your e-mail address was attached to ticket number 31008478-2514785 with
serial number 114522069 drew lucky numbers 996632145which consequently won
in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum payment
of !!!!!!! 850,000.00 euros.!!!!!! (eight Hundred and fifty Thousand Euros).


CONGRATULATIONS!!

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning
information confidential untill your claim has been processed and your money
Remitted to you.

To file for your claim, please contact our claim agent
Email cl_agent2007@mail.ru

Congratulations again from all our staff .We wish you continued good
fortunes.

Mr Mark Roland

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam