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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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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.

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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.
  • +34634059412 (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.
  • writeericmanfred@yahoo.com
  • writeericmanfred@aol.com

Fraud email example:

From: "roselyn" <contactinfo@centrum.sk>
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:56:28 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL AWARD.


WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL AWARD.
EURO MILLONES LOTERIA ESP
APARTADO DE CORREOS 48, 28230 las Rozas,
MADRID ESPANA
RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL AWARD:
ATTN; WINNER,
                                Confirmation Letter
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the long awaited results of
the EURO MILLONES LOTERIA S.A PROMOTION PROGRAMES.ESPANA held on 10th of
AUG 2008 your email address attached to the Ticket No:TK/365\\9NL that
drew the lucky Winning No Y-871GTH which consequently won the lottery in
the second category in four parts.
You have been approved for a payment of 900,000.00Euros (NINE HUNDRED
THOUSAND EURO) in cash credited to File No: Q/1709/WB. Batch No XQ1017BN
This is from a total cash prize of NINE MILLION EUROS Shared among the ten
International winners in second categories.
Congratulations!!!
All participants were selected through a Multi international computer
ballot system drawn from 98,000 (Ninety eight thousand) names of email
users around the world, as part of our international promotion programmer.
Due to mix up of some names and addresses, we ask that you keep this award
personal, till your claims have been processed and your funds remitted to
you this is part of our security measures to avoid double claiming.
To begin your claim, do file for the release of your winning by contacting
our accredited agent:  Foreign Transfer Manager EURO MILLONES LOTERIA S.A
Mr. Eric Manfred.
TEL: +34 -634-059-412
Email: writeericmanfred@yahoo.com
Email: writeericmanfred@aol.com
NOTE: All winnings must be notarized to complete the claim process; winners
will be referred to a Foreign Transfer Manager, to have their winnings
notarized. Winners are to cover the legal charges not euro Million Loteria.
Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please
remember to quote your Winning details in all correspondence email.
YOUR SECURITY FILE NUMBER IS D1-67/WM4 (keep personal) Remember your
winning must be claimed not later than (27-08-08) after this date funds
might be returned to the lottery company as unclaimed prize furthermore
should there be any change in your address do inform your claims agent as
soon as possible.
Yours truly,
Mrs. Roselyn Antonio,
EURO MILLONES LOTERIA S.A,
THE PROMOTION DIRECTOR.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam