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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • +22997046911 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "mark idiris" <idirismark04@e-mail.ua>
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:53:54 +0300
Subject: CONGRATULATION, YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE YEAR


INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
CONTACT MR. LAMINE KOFI.
FROM: LA PRIMITIVA INTL, LOTERIA
PROMOTION PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
REFERENCE NUMBER: TL/06934/20/07
BATCH NUMBE: 53/081/INL
Dear Winner,

Following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic online
Sweepstakes organized by the la primitiva loteria, the Slide circular award
and the Foundation for the Promotion of Software products, (F.P.S), held on
the 1th of July 2008, in cotonou, benin republic (www.primitiva.es), wherein
your electronic email address emerged as one of the online winning emails in
the 3rd category and therefore attracted a cash award of US$872,000.00
(Eight Hundred and Seventy-Two Thousand United States Dollars Only).

We write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contact
the processing office immediately upon receipt of this message for more
information concerning the verification processing and eventual payment of
the above prize to you.
It is important to notify you that your award information was released today
with the following particulars attached to it.

(I) Reference Number: TL/06934/20/07
(ii) Ticket Number: TL704/26/71
(iii) Batch Number: 53/081/INL
(iv) Lucky Number: 6-61-23-43-846
(v) Award Number: TL 29/15839

Please contact the claim agents immediately to facilitate the release of
your prize, You are required to mention the above particulars of your award
in every correspondence addressed to the processing agents.
CONTACT NAME: MR. LAMINE KOFI.

CITY/ COUNTRY:COTONOUE, BENIN REPUBLIC.
fax, +229-97-046-911
EMAIL;(lamine_kofi12@msn.com)

La Primitiva Awards is sponsored by a consortium of software promotion
companies. The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers, Microsoft and other
international companies.
The La Primitiva internet draw is held periodically and is so organized to
encourage the use of the internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.

In compliance with the sponsoring bodies consensus, you are to make a
remittance of a part of your won fund, not lower than 10% to a recognized
charity organisation within your locality, after receiving your award/prize.
Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
remember to quote your reference number and batch number in all your
correspondence.

Once again on behalf of all our staff,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sincerely,

MrIdiris Mark.
Promotions Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam