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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:
  • ",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)
  • ",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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• 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: "Victory Online Lottery"<vi.lot@easy.la>
Reply-To: <claimsdepartment.info@sweeps-wallace.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2009 14.53.55 +0200
Subject: Batch: 430456543-DD23.

VICTORY ONLINE LOTTERY
GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY.
REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED KINGDOM DATA PROTECTION ACT;
(Registration MLI7410-6642).

Ref: 639/898/002
Batch: 430456543-DD23.

We are pleased to inform you that you are among the winners of the
VICTORY LOTTERY INTERNET PROMOTION PROGRAM. Participants were selected
through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses
of individuals and companies from all parts of the world as part of
our electronic business Promotions Program.

As a result of your visiting various websites, you/your Company email
address attached to ticket number 08 15 30 31 34 43 40, with serial number
1172-554 drew the lucky numbers 08-04-33-38-BL-AU, Your Reference Number is: 639/898/002 and consequently you won
in the third Category of the VICTORY LOTTERY INTERNET DRAW.
You have therefore been approved for the payment of the sum of
$1,500,000.00 (One million Five hundred Thousand Dollars only) as your winning
prize.

This is from a total prize pool of 15,000,000.00 Dollars,
shared among ten international winners in the third category.

CONGRATULATIONS!
Please be informed that your winnings of the sum of $1.500,000.00 has
been zoned to the European Processing Office.

Send an email with your Reference Number 639/898/002 and Batch number
430456543-DD23.
TO:EUROPEAN CONTACT AGENCY:
MR WALLACE BLAKE
EMAIL: victoryonline@sweeps-wallace.com

Yours faithfully,
Maria Rodrigues.
(Online Promotion Co-ordinator)

NOTE: To avoid disqualification or double claiming, we advice that
your winnings should be kept very confidential until your cash prize
has been remitted to you. This is in accordance with section 13(1)
(n) of the National Gambling Act as adopted in 1993 and amended on
3rd July 1996 by the constitutional assembly.
============================================================

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam