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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:
  • "australian lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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.
  • +447045746552 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • johnson_duke160@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Australian Lottery Lotto Promo" <ca_sweet14@msn.com>
Reply-To: johnson_duke52@luckymail.com
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:15:00 +0000
Subject: Congratulation! You Won ($500,000.00USD).

COOL STREET
PAULGREENVULLE Ax34587,
AUSTRALIA.
Ref: 435062725
Batch: 7050490902/189
Winning no: GB8101/LPRC

                                 CONGRATULATIONS!!
Dear Sir/Madam,

               AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY NOTIFICATION DESK.
                         GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED                          
                         LICENSED!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO INFORM YOU OF YOUR PRIZE WINNING FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY PROGRAM WAS RELEASE ON 30/01/2009. YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WAS ONE OF THE ELECTRONIC SELECTED WINNER OF 2009 SECTION.

HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE. Simply contact our financial agent, MR. JOHNSON DUKE With your filled applicants form below and your payment information on or before 15th Feb 2009.

WINNING NO: GB8101/LPRC
TICKET NUMBER: 3300172507056490175
SERIAL NUMBER: 8341134055
Email:johnson_duke160@yahoo.com
OR :johnson_duke52@luckymail.com
Tele: +447045746552.

LOTTERY WINNERS APPLICATION FORM OF PAYMENT.

FULL NAME......................................
DATE OF BIRTH..................................
ADDRESS........................................
SEX............................................
COUNTRY.......................................
NATIONALITY....................................
OCCUPATION.....................................
TELEPHONE......................................
EMAIL..........................................

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of Australian lottery Draw Promotion, kindly accept our warmest congratulations.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Carol Smith
Promotions Manager.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam