419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:
- "liberty seguros" (no such agent exists)
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)
- "libertygroup@luckymail.com" (this email address has been used in a known 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!
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.
- +34634138556 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "EURO MILLIONES END OF YEAR LOTTERY PROMOTION PROGRAM"
<eurolottery_award@elinet.es>
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:32:46 +0100
Subject: Attention Dear internet user!!! /ESP/WIN/008B/08/10/MA/

Dear internet user,

"EURO MILLIONES END OF YEAR LOTTERY PROMOTION PROGRAM"

We wish to congratulate you over your email address [ gemeente@drechterland.nl ] success in our computer Balloting.
This is a Millennium Scientific Electronic Computer Games in which email addresses were
used.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000
company and 50,000,000 individual email addresses from all over the world. It is a
promotional program aimed at encouraging intern et users; therefore you do not need
to buy ticket to enter for it.

This email address drew and have won the sum of 750,000 Euros ( Seven Hundred and
Fifty Thousand Euros) in cash cr edited to file with REFERENCE NUMBER: ESP/WIN/008B/08/10/MA;
WINNING NUMBER : 14-17-24-34-37-45-16 BATCH NUMBERS : EULO/1007/444/606/08; SERIAL
NUMBER: 45327 WINNER EMAIL: gemeente@drechterland.nl and PROMOTION DATE: 1st November. 2009.

To claim your winning prize, you are to cont act the appointed agent below as soon as
possible for the immediate release of your winnings with the below details.

1) Full Name:
2) Nationality:
3) Occupation:
4) Sex/age:
5) Address:
6) REFERENCE NUMBER:
7) Telephone Number:
8) Mobile Number:
9) Fax Number (If available)

LIBERTY SEGUROS S.A.
MR. PATRICIO CARLOS
TEL: +34 634-138-556
Email: libertygroup@luckymail.com

Congratulations once again from all our staff.

Mrs Hector Palmira. (Secretary)
Euro Milliones Board.
Madrid, 21st November. 2009.

****************************************************************************************
This email is confidential and is intended solely for the person or Entity that own this
email address [ gemeente@drechterland.nl ]. If you have received this message in error, we
inform you that the content in it is reserved and unauthorized use is prohibited by law,
therefore,please notify us by e-mail.
****************************************************************************************

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam