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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!
  
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• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",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)
  • "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.
  • +34693374735 (Spain, 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.
  • winsuperbal006@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Connie Jose" <info.09122@peru.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:54:12 +0200
Subject: Approved Remittance Notice.


Approved Remittance Notice.
Once Lotto Award Program.

Dear Internet User.

It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a Surprise but,
We are happy to inform you that your email address
have emerged winner of (EUR 1,000,000.00) in Once Lottery Award.

The online cyber draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 50-million
email addresses of individuals and corporate bodies picked by an
advanced automated random computer selection from the web.
No tickets were sold.

Your email address is attached to Ref No: ESM/WIN/008/05/10/MA &
Batch No:EULO/2907/444/908/06; Award/Ticket No: 45407; and
PROMOTION DATE: 21st June.2008.

Bear in mind that prizes will strictly be remitted to winners that
officially file in for their claim within the given time frame.

To begin your claim, you are to forward this message to our accredited
claim agent including your full names and telephone numbers:

CONTACT NAME: Mr. Simms Sanchez.
TELL NUMBER: 0034-693-374-735
EMAIL: winsuperbal006@netscape.net
CITY/COUNTRY: Madrid,Spain.

Your prize award has been insured with your email address and will be
transferred to you upon meeting the requirement of the gaming board
authority which includes your statutory obligations.

Best Regards,
Dr. Connie Jose.

Note: All Won Prize must Be claimed/ Cleared not later than 7th of
July. 2008. After this date, all other winnings will considered as
UNCLAIMED.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam