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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • +2348074849794 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "SHELL LOTTERY" <shell-lottery@torba.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 05:19:20 +0100
Subject: Congratulations you won US$500,000


SHELL INTERNATIONAL LTD
SHELL FOUNDATION, SE1 7NA.

Dear Donation Beneficiary,

FINAL NOTIFICATION OF YOUR WINNING

The Shell Foundation is glad to inform you that you have been approved a
lump sum pay of US$500,000.00 (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) in cash credit
file ref: ILP/HW 46704/08 from the total cash prize shared amongst eight
lucky winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer balloting system drawn
from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Shell operating locations
around the world as well as other oil rich countries as part of our
international promotions program which is conducted annually. This Lottery
was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies
as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities
where they have operational base.

To celebrate the 7th anniversary Programme, the Shell Foundation, in
conjunction with some multi national companies and other relevant bodies is
giving out a yearly donation of US$500,000.00 (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS) to eight lucky recipients.

These specific Donations/Grants will be awarded to recipients worldwide, in
different categories for their personal business development and enhancement
of their educational plans. Kindly note that you will only be chosen to
receive the donation once, which means that subsequent yearly donation will
not get to you again.

You were selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of
US$500,000.00 (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) as charity donations/aid from
the Shell Foundation in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament.

To file for your claim, Please contact our Claims Agent through the
following information below.

Contact Person: Nicholas Kidman
Location: Nigeria
Phone: +234-807-484-9794.
Email: mr.nicholas_shellnig@torba.com

Quote your cash credit file number ILP/HW 46704/08, and also your phone
number for easy communication.

For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information
confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize
released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this programme by
non-participant or unofficial personnel. All information is strictly
confidential and will only be used for the purpose to which it is been
requested.

Finally, their respective beneficiaries should claim all funds, not later
than 21 days after notification. Failure to do so will result to outright
cancellation.

On behalf of the entire Board, I say Congratulations!!

Best Regards,
Mrs. Florence Ricardo.
Grants Coordinator

*ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO
DISQUALIFICATION.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam