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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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!
• 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.
  • +2348065336970 (Nigeria, 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.
  • eugene12@web2mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <eugene12@web2mail.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:52:33 +0000
Subject: COCA-COLA($820,000.00)





Attention: Sir / Madam,

Congratulations your email is among the Seven lucky winners that won S$820,.000.00. (Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand US Dollars) Each in the just concluded draw held to promote West African 2010 World Cup, sponsored by COCA-COLA LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL South Africa for prize claiming, Call MR.UZO EUGENE on his phone number +234-8065336970 or email him on (eugene12@web2mail.com) and also provide the following information below with Ticket Number: 7PWYZ2008 and Ballot Number: BT:12052008/20 for the processing of your winning fund.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to complete the CLAIM FORM and forward it to your claim agent, for your IMMEDIATE PAYMENT.

LOTTERY CLAIM FORM

NAME:..................
ADDRESS:.................
COUNTRY:......................
SEX:..................
AGE:................
PHONE/MOBILE:..........................
FAX:...................................
OCCUPATION:............................

Yours Faithfully,
Management.

Please. Reply to (eugene12@web2mail.com).com for the processing of your winning amount.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam