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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
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• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +27837690744 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • bidboard.claim@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: notice 2010sa50 <notice2010sa50@msn.com>
Reply-To: <claim.dept2@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:37:30 +0000
Subject: YOU WON USD$800,000:00 AND A FREE TICKET





BID BOARD AWARD DEPT/CLAIMS OFFICE
#4TH FLOOR FIDELITY HOUSE BRYANSTON
JOHANNESBURG 2009 SOUTH AFRICA
EMAIL:bidboard.claim@hotmail.com
bidboard.claim@live.com


You are a winner of the Bid Board promotion, held in Johannesburg South Africa. You have won USD$800,000.00,also a free ticket to the 2010 football worldcup in South-Africa.To claim your prize, please contact your claim agent MR. PRINCE CHARLESON with your Batch # 18/006/1094/LIPDA/SL and Reference #: LLI/240142/011 and contact him via email within 24hrs with the following details below:
(1)Full Names:.........
(2)Contry Of Origin .....
(3)Nationality ..................
(4)Address:.................
(5)Tel/Fax.............
(6)Occupation...........
(7)Sex...........
(8)Age ...............
(9) Marital Status............
Contact your claims agent with any of these options for immediate recieving of your winning prize.#1 Coming down to South Africa and claim the prize in person.Option #2 Receiving the prize through wire transfer which is bank-to-bank transfer.

Regards,
Mr.Prince Charleson
Claims Dept
Tel: +27-83-769-0744

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam