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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447075020632 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • claimsagent12004@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "representative agent" <representative_agent11@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 05:09:38 +0000
Subject: ****CONGRATULATIONS****

              


The Marina Offices,
The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
Fax: +44 707 502 0632

FINNAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:  

                             WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw (#988)  of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held on Friday 10 June,2005. It is yet to be unclaimed and you are getting the final NOTIFICATION as regards this.

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:01-02-18-25-34-45(bonus no.31),  which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of  £1,000,000 (One Million Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.
 
   This is from a total cash prize of  £456,000,00  shared amongst the(6)lucky winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus bonus.
  All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place weekly.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your   £1,000,000 (One Million Pounds Sterling) will be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.

 Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact her.For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.

This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.

To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:

Overseas Claims Unit
United Kingdom Lottery Fiduciary
Contact Person: Mr.Ted Milner

Email:  claimsagent12004@yahoo.co.uk

 Tel :+44 703195548

Endeavour to email/fax him the following :
Full names:
winning numbers:
Email address:
Telephone /fax numbers:
Age:
Country:

 

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

At your disposal, we remain.
Very Truly Yours,

Caroline Bryan
              

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam