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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:
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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:

• 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")
  • "hundred thousand us dollars" (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 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.
  • aa_adnan_71@she.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Eric Guere <erric_sure7@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:24:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION


WINNING NOTIFICATION

THAILAND GLOBAL=A0SWEEPSTAKE PROMOTION
OFFICE ADDRESS;628/3 PETCHBURI RD
SOI 13 PHAYATHAI RAJATEVEE DISTRICT
BANGKOK 10200 THAILAND.

We wish to congratulate and inform you that your email address have
emerged Winner from our Global sweepstake Promo=A0held on=A0October 17, 200=
8.Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of $80=
0.000.00(EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS Only). The following particulars=
are attached to your lottery payment order:
=A0
(i) Winning numbers: 990-11-815-37-14-83
(ii) Email ticket number: 901-0276-790-691
(iii) Lotto Batch No. 15/FFP/LDL/007
(IV) File REF NO: MELI-T/17-F066372312
=A0
CONTACT OUR=A0AGENT:
MR. ADNAN OSMAN=20
Email: aa_adnan_71@she.com
Telephone Number:+ 66=A0851229035
Please=A0provide the claim agent with the under listed information=20
as soon as possible=A0to enable him to=A0process your claims:

Full Name:.............................
Sex :....................................
Age:...................................
Phone number:..................
Country :..........................
ADDRESS:......................

SINCERELY,
MR.ERIC GUERE.
PROMOTION=A0COORDINATOR,
PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,=20
BANGKOK THAILAND.=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam