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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!
  
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• 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:
  • "transfer of your funds" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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?Lottery=20Central=20Office?= <lotterycentraloffice@yahoo.in>
Reply-To: fedexcouriercompany1@jmail.co.za
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 04:56:07 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Lottery Central Office London


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: lotterycentraloffice@yahoo.in



- London Lotterien Central Office.Management and Central Services:60 Great Ormond Street London,WC1N 3HR United- Kingdom London Lotterien draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 20,000,000e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an automate drandom computer ballot search from the internet as part of our international promotions program which we conduct every year. No tickets were sold.This program is organized by the international lotto and games subcommittee, endorsed by the European lottery guild in conjunction with NGO organizations in London.After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address attached to serial number 02-87-87 drew the lucky numbers 4-11-41-26-02-62, which consequently emerged you as one of first ten (10) lucky winners in the United Kingdom category.You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay off (Two Million five hundred pounds) in cash credited to file ZL/08/4008. To claim your prize funds, you are required to come directly to our UK office for direct claim. If you have problems with coming to our office you can makea wire transfer of your funds to your private bank account.You can also employ the use of a courier service company to deliver your winning cheque to your home or office address.You are required to send the necessary information as regards your chosen option to our help line below: Mr. Johnson Moore.Promotions Manager.London Lotterien

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam