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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "=?utf-8?q?Attention=20Winner,?=" <david555james566@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: david44james_44@live.com
Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:56:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Attention Winner,


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:david555james566@yahoo.com.co



- Attention Winner, Today your e-mail id was selected through the computer ballot system,as a winner of our Microsoft online lottery program. You have to contact your claim agent for your payment process and include your personal information for smooth transaction. Claim Agent: Mr. DAVID JAMES, Email: david44james_44@live.com For verification purpose ,Forward to him your claim details below; (1) Your mailing address: (2) Your Tel(Mobile): (3) Your Nationality/Country: {4} Your Full Names: {5} Your Occupation {6} Your Age. Ref No.micro234kj20080808 Batch number: msn222 Lucky No.: 1 8 13 22 27 38 41Security code: 676 Amount Won: US$ 3 000 000 00 (Three million Unites states Dollars) You have to contact him not later thanthree working days. One more time con gratulations. Regards, Smith Rueben

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam