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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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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.

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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:
  • "universal crossing sa"
• 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")
  • ",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)
• 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: BIDVEST LOTTERY <bidlottery_uk@cantv.net>
Reply-To: dr.louis_smith1@live.com
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:18:54 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GOOD NEWS !!


BID VEST LOTTERY 2010 SPORT STAKE INTERNATIONAL !!!
 
YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE COMPUTER PROMOTIONAL DRAW THIS MESSAGE IS FROM THE PROMOTION MANAGER,  INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT UNIVERSAL CROSSING SA YOU HAVE WON ON THE COMPUTER BALLOT,THE SUM OF $3,100.000.00 AND A FREE TICKET TO 2010 WORLD CUP HOSTING BY SOUTH--AFRICA.
 

PLEASE CONTACT DR.LOUIS SMITH YOUR CLAIM AGENT

Email:dr.lous_smith@live.com
 

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement made on 2009, of winners of the BID VEST LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, as part of our promotional draws. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from all part of the world as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.  Note that your email address qualified for the draw, as a result of your visiting various websites we are running the e-business promotions for.

 
You/Your Company email address, attached to ticket number 7017-4162-1018, with serial number MH4710019 drew the lucky numbers 80, 35, 11, 72, 90, 41 and Bonus number 1 and consequently YOU HAVE WON  in the Second Category.

REFERENCE NUMBER: LLI/240142/011
BATCH NUMBER: 18/006/1094/LIPDA/SL.
 

DR.LOUIS SMITH.

TEL: +27- 786-314-782
EMAIL:dr.lous_smith@live.com


NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers and other information provided below in every one of your correspondences with your claims agent:

 

1.FULL NAME.......................
2.POSTAL ADDRESS..................
3.COUNTRY OF ORIGIN ..............
4.MARITAL STATUS .................
5.OCCUPATION .....................
6.AGE ............................
7.SEX ............................
8.TELEPHONE NUMBER ...............
9.FAX NUMBER .....................
10.EMAIL ADDRESS .................
11.WINNING NUMBERS ...............
12.REF NUMBERS ...................
13.BATCH NUMBERS..................
 
BID VEST LOTTO PROGRAM IS A BONUS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD FOR THE 2010 SOCCER WORLD.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam