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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, Monthly index, 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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand us 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)
  • ",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)
  • "deadline" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "account opening form" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • +31644084302 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 09:37:02 -0800 (PST)
Subject: claims agent


I received this mail, what do I need to do?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACCOUNT OPENING & CLAIM PROCEDURE‏
Kimden: DIREKT BNKN03 (direktbnkn03@live.nl)
Gönderme tarihi: 03 Kasım 2008 Pazartesi 18:12:31
Kime: hasan_1591@msn.com
1 ek
DIREKTBAN...jpg(543,1 KB)
DIREKT BANK
Telebanking Services
www.direktbank.nl
Amstelveen, The Netherlands
From: Johan van de Kroon
Tel:  +31 644 084 302
fax:  +31 847 184 495
Date: 03-11-08
 
Dear Hasan Sinar,
 
You have been awarded a lump sum pay-out from the free (Computer E-mail Ballot) international award Program organized by lotto.nl. The entire staff of Direkt Bank (Telebanking services) wishes to congratulate you for being one of the lucky winners in this season's online award promotion. This is an independent promotion and it is not connected to any publication. No purchase of ticket necessary. Be informed that this lottery promotion was conducted through the Internet worldwide random selection, the participants and winners were picked randomly through a computer ballot system and you have been picked as one of the lucky winners. For payment of your winning prize of the 'A' draw,  1st category of  $ 1,500,000.00 (One Million, five hundred thousand US dollars) will to be transferred to your nominated account by Direkt Bank (Telebanking services).
 
Outlined herein are the terms and conditions for claiming your prize:
 
1. You must be over the age of 18.
 
2. The account opening forms must be properly filled out. Any wrong information provided will result to disqualification.
 
3. Winners are to work with their account officer here in The Netherlands to have their forms notarized in order to obtain the Certificate of Award from the Netherlands Gaming Control Board. You do not have come down to The Netherlands for that, the moment your filled out claim form and a copy of your identity card is sent down by fax or E-mail attachment the account officer assigned to you will be responsible for all necessary legal and administrative duties.
  
The types of accounts are:
********************************
Account                            
********************************
1. Personal current account                             
2. Savings account                                             
3. Non resident account                                      
  
Note: If you are not a Dutch resident or citizen you are advised to open a non resident account. The difference between the non resident account and the others is that the winner has to transfer his winnings out of this account within a short period of time.
 
4. Any leakage of your winning information resulting to double claim, will
disqualify your winnings.
 
5. Note also that, you are not obliged in any way to claim this prize award and you have every right to reject it, this does not affect your statutory rights.
 
6. Employees, relatives of Lotto.nl gaming board and Direkt Bank (Telebanking services) are excluded from participating in this program.
 
7. To be eligible for claims, you must complete the claims process before the deadline, stated in the winning notification you received.
 
8. Filling a claim form means acceptance of the full terms and conditions enumerated above.
 
If you agree to the terms and conditions, send back the account opening form by E-mail attachment and that you agree to the terms and conditions to proceed in claiming your prize .You are to fill the account opening form and send back by FAX or E-mail attachment file for the account activation.
 
Attached with this mail is the account opening form  which must be completed and sent back to this office for the process of opening and activation of your account with Direkt Bank (Telebanking services). You are to send a scanned copy of your ID, passport or driver's license for proof of identity for us to proceed with the transfer of your winning prize to you.
 
The form allows you choose the kind of account you will like to own with Direkt Bank (Telebanking services). Remember to quote your winning numbers in every one of your correspondence with us.

Note: The claiming process must be completed before the claims expiration date as stipulated
in the award notification E-mail.
Thanks in advance for banking with us.
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Miranda Kaak
For: Mr Johan van de Kroon
 
NB: Note that disclosing your winning details to anyone else means creating the chance to double claim and risking the chance of losing your prize. You are advised to send your filled out claim form and a copy of your identity card as e-mail attachment. Please call for more information if needed.
 
Calling hours : Monday – Friday
Time: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm ( Central European Time. CET )

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  

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