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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:
  • "foreign service manager" (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)
  • "headquater" (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.
  • +447031973551 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Williams Kage" <kmporter02@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <jennifersaynes@ymail.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:52:22 +0100
Subject: Re: From J. Saynes

NATIONAL LOTTERY HEADQUATERS
CUSTOMER SERVICE,
LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM

Ref: 67345/05
Batch:05/06/MA34
WINNING NOTIFICATION.

We are pleased to inform you of the final announcement of 20th of June 2008 of winners of the National Lottery Promo International program. You were entered as dependent clients with: Reference NUMBER: 67345/05 and Batch number 05/06/MA34. Your email address attached to the ticket number: 55550064638 that drew the lucky winning numbers 03 06 09 12 40 43 and bonus ball 44, which consequently won in the second category.

You have been approved for a payment of One Million Great British Pounds in cash credited to file reference number:67345/05. Congratulations!!! Please contact the under listed claims release office for immediate pay out of your winning fund:

Jennifer Saynes(Mrs),
Foreign Service Manager,
Direct Line: +44 703 197 3551
Email: jennifersaynes@ymail.com

To avoid unnecessary delay and complications, Please quote your reference / batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent.

Congratulations once more from all members of staffs, management team and Directors of this program.

Yours faithfully,
K. Porter

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam