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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
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• 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:
  • "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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +447024013585 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Tagged International Promo" <taggedpromo21@mailbox.hu>
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 07:19:02 -0700
Subject: Utterly Confidential SECRET CODE!!!


THE RIDGE WAY UNITED KINGDOM
FROM:TAGGED MEMBERS AWARD DEPT.
REF: SUN/2010-968091/03
BATCH: 54/010/IPD
DATE: 30/05/2008
RE: EMAIL WINNING CONFIRMATION NOTICE.

We are glad to inform you that your E-mail address appears as the confirmed
Winner of our last TAGGED email lottery program held on the 10TH OF MAY
2008.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 20675543256786 with
Serial number 3765-75 drew lucky numbers 7-12-18-24-32-?45, which
Consequently won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved For a
lump sum payment of US$1,500.000.0?0 United State Dollars {US$1,500.000.00}.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

This promotional program takes place every year. All participants were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000 companies
and 50,000,000 individual TAGGED MEMBERS and names from all over the
world.In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember
to que your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence. We ask
that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has
been processed and your money remitted to you.Remember all winnings must be
claimed not later than 20TH JUNE 2008.

After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.To
file for your claim or for further details, please contact our Claims Agent
Dr Ross Combs at email: taggedclaimsdept@live.com Or Tel: +44 702 401 3585
In respect of our committment towards helping the less previledge, we ask
that you voluntarily contribute 1% of your TAGGED winnings to any charity
organization you desire at your convinience. Congratulations once more from
our members of staff.

Mrs. Anita O'Sullivan
Global Winning co-ordinator.

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of Confidentiality, and
press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so
desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of
confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems
associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure
to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Any lottery
double claim dedected by our monitoring committeewill lead to the UK TAGGED
Promo lottery cancelling the winnings,making a loss for both the real
winner, and the fake(intended) claimer.

WARNING!!! ANY MAIL RECIEVED OF THIS SUCH WITH ANY KIND OF TRADE MARK OR
ADDRESS SHOULD BE FORWARD TO THIS BOX IMMEDIATELY THIS WILL HELP US TO FIGHT
SCAM AND LOTTERY IMPOSTERS .THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam