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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:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "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.
  • +2347032256732 (Nigeria, 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.
  • colleci34@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
  • charles brown
    colleci34@gmail.com
    

  Fraud email example:

  From: "=?big5?B?qK+l6Lx0?=" <fmc1hh@30888.com.tw> Date: Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:33:52 +0800 Subject: =?big5?B?R29vZ2xlIDEydGggQW5uaXZlcnNhcnkgUHJlc2VudGF0aW9uIENlbnRyZSw=?= <P><FONT size=2>Google 12th Anniversary Presentation Centre,<BR>Africa branch office. <BR>Lagos, 25530. Nigeria. </FONT></P><FONT size=2> <P><BR>Your email address has been selected as one of the lucky winners in the second batch of the on <BR>going Google 12 Anniversary Award as organized by Google Asia branch office in Bangkok, Thailand. <BR>Therefore, you have been awarded the sum of Five Hundred Thousand United states Dollars <BR>($500,000.00USD) only.</P> <P>Email account holders who receive this notification are hereby advised not to neglect this alert, <BR>because this is their chance to be part of the favor.</P> <P>This promotion was set-up to encourage the active usage of the Internet Google Chrome®. Hence we do <BR>believe that with your winning prize, you will continue to be active and patronage to the Internet <BR>Google Chrome®.</P> <P>Your winnings can be access by the issuement of an Atm card.</P> <P>Award Reference code:GOOGLE568A009<BR>File number:G245<BR>Atm Code : ATM822</P> <P>To claim your winning prize kindly contact Llodys Bank Africa which has been mandated to give you <BR>cash outs with below details ASAP: <BR>==============================================================<BR>Mr Charles Brown<BR><A href="mailto:colleci34@gmail.com">colleci34@gmail.com</A><BR><A href="mailto:inqecom011@yahoo.com.hk">inqecom011@yahoo.com.hk</A><BR>Telephone: +2347032256732<BR>==============================================================<BR>(1) Your Full Names: <BR>(2) Your Tel/Mobile Number:<BR>(3) Your Nationality:<BR>(4) Current Country:<BR>(5) Your contact Address:<BR>(6) Occupation: </P> <P>==============================================================<BR>Once again: CONGRATULATIONS!!!</P> <P>Regards, <BR>Google Management. <BR>Africa, Branch,<BR>Nigeria,Africa.</FONT><FONT size=2></FONT></P>

  Anti-fraud resources:
  

  • What can you do when you receive 419 spam