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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
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• 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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million 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)
  • ",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)
  • "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: "SALLY LANG"<test>
Reply-To: <sally_lang@yahoo.cn>
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 2009 15:28:33 +0800
Subject: SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY 2009

SHELL WORLD



Shell Petroleum Development Company Hong Kong
Shell Tower, Kennedy Brown Avenue,
Times Square,Hong Kong/China


BATCH REF: SHHK/008/YY

This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of One Million United States Dollars (USD$1,000,000.00) for the 2008 International E-mail Draw which is Organized by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

SPDC collects all the email addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to Yahoo, Aol, Walla,Gmail, Russian Mail,Hotmail and few from other e-mail providers. Six people are selected yearly to benefit from this promotion and you are one of the Selected Winners this year by this great Oil company.

PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM

Winners shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement Center. Shell Award must be claimed not later than final claim day from date of Draw Notification. Any Prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.You have therefore been approved for the payment of the sum of USD$1,000, 000. 00 in cash which is the winning present /amount for each winner. This is from the total prize money of USD$6,000,000.00 shared among the six international winners in this category.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Stated below is your identification number:

REFERENCE NUMBER: SPDC-081511

Please be informed that your CHEQUE of the sum of USD$1,000,000.00 is now with the payee center. Contact your fiduciary agent in China and give them your full detail below so that they will re-insure your winning under your full name and direct you to the bank for payment as your winning numbers fall within the China Mainland Location file.

(SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMAPANY AGENT)

Name: SALLY LANG (CLAIM AGENT)

E-Mail: sally_lang@yahoo.cn

She shall immediately commence the process that will facilitate the release of your fund .Fill the below form and send to your agent.

1. Full Name..........................
2. Address ...............
3. Country of Origin.......................
4. Occupation...........................
5. Age...........................
6. Phone Number.......................
7. Email Address..........................

Congratulations!! once again.

Yours in service,
Ms.Louie Morris
[Shell Publicity Secretary]

SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMAPANY (SPDC),WE ARE TRULLY THE OIL GIANT IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam