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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:
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +31645449390 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:43:11 -0500
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION US$2,500,000.00

INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPT
WINNING NOTIFICATION FOR CATEGORY "A" WINNER ONLY

Dear Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the final announcement of the result in a
Lottery International Programs.

Your email address was selected by our Electronic Random Selection System
(ERSS) from an exclusive list of e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies. No tickets were sold.
This email address is identified with Your Ref number: NL 80 OS 9414, Batch Number:444821545-NL/2008,
Ticket Number: PP 3812 /2008-03 in Category "A" and you are a winner to the Prize amount of US$2,500,000.00.
(Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) from the total payout

Cogratulation:

To file for Your Claims Please contact
*************************************
Name : Mr. Robert William
Phone: +31 645 449 390
Email: claimsagent_6444@yahoo.cn
*************************************
You are advice to provide him with your following information as stated below:
Names:
Telephone/Fax number:
Nationality:
Age:
Occupation:

NOTE:1. All winnings must be claimed not later than 14 days,
2. Your funds are protected by hard cover insurance policy until it is remitted to your account in your country.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

Yours Faithfully,
Martin Prak
Lottery Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam