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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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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "yahoo lottery inc" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million 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)
  • ",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)
  • "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)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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. )
  • "certified bank draft" (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!
• 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.
  • +447045764424 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Yahoo! Beta Promo <beta.results093@msn.com>
Reply-To: <rev_edward.jones1@live.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:52:58 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS, YOUR EMAIL WON!!!

































AWARD












This is to inform you that you have won prize money of ONE MILLION US DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00) for the YEAR 2008 Lottery promotion, which is organized by YAHOO LOTTERY INC for the introduction of the new YAHOO BETA MAIL, which all YAHOO users are required to switch onto.

YAHOO! & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, arranged and gathered all the e-mail addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to All email Addresses, and others we only select Nine (9) candidates annually as our winners through Electronic Balloting System (EBS) without the candidates applying, we congratulate you for being one of the people selected.

PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM

Your Payment Approval File was sent to African and European continent only due to the fact that more winners emerged from their .You are to contact our Location Claim Agent on or before your date of Claim.

Yahoo Beta Lottery Prize must be claimed not later than 21 days from date of Draw Notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won unless otherwise.

Note: Any prize not claimed within this period (21days) will be forfeited unless where necessary.

These are your identification numbers:

Batch number.....................YBM-EBS-360AF
Ref number........................YBM-EBS-710AF
Winning number...............YBM-EBS-718AF

These numbers above fall within the agent’s Location file, you are requested to contact your Agent and send your Identification Numbers and Personal Information to him.

REV. FR. EDWARD JONES at his email:

E-mail: rev_edward.jones1@live.com
TEL: +447045764424

You are therefore advised to send the following information to him to enable him facilitate the process of transfer of your fund with the appointed paying bank.

Send your Identification Numbers/Your Personal Information to him immediately:

Personal Information
1. Full name................………………….
2. Country..................………………….
3. Contact Address.........…………….
4. Telephone Number.......………………
5. Marital Status............……………..
6. Occupation................………………
7. Age.......................………………
8. Sex.......................…………………..


Means For Transfer of Prize Payment to winners.

(a) International Certified Bank Draft.
(b) Account Transfer.

If Account Transfer, provide all your banking details to the paying bank or your agent

Congratulations once again.
Yours in service,






We hope you're enjoying your new Yahoo! Mail account.
Now take the next step and claim your money and say thanks to Yahoo!.
You select how to transfer the prize money to you:




Cheque Delivery To Your Address


Bank Account Transfer


Diplomatic Means
NOTE: NOBODY WILL TOUCH YOUR PRIZE FOR ANY REASON AND AN AFFIDAVIT OF FACT AND CLAIM WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BANK BY THE COURT BEFORE THE BANK CAN RELEASE YOUR PRIZE.






See what's happening on Yahoo.com today. Do you Yahoo!?

If you have questions or wish to claim your prize money kindly contact this email,
rev_edward.jones1@live.com see the instructions at the body of this message.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam