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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:
  • "claims 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.
  • +447031912676 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "SIMON CROFT" <simon_croft01@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 01:31:29 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

FROM: SIMON CROFT, CONTROLLER         SUBJECT: WINNING NOTIFICATION FOR SWEEP  STAKES WINNERS FOR THE YEAR 2005: We happily announce to you the draw (#992) of the INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY,online sweepstakes international program held on 1st  october, 2005 Your e-mail address attached  to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:15-23-27-38-44-49(bonus no.34), which subsequently won you the lottery, in the 2nd category i.e match 6 plus bonus. You  have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of  £1,500,000.00{one Million Five Houndred Thousand, Great Britain Pounds Sterlings} In cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize of £115,000,000.00 {One Hundred And Fifteen Million Great Britain Pounds Sterlings} shared amongst the {77} lucky winners in this category i.e Match 6 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 union associations and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place monthly. 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 £1.500,000.00 {One Million Five Houndred Thousand, Great Britain Pounds Sterlings} would 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 him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims 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. You are required to forward all your winning Numbers details to the Claims Agent to Process Your Winning On time for you.    To File for your claim, please contact our claims agent below. ******************************************************************* Name  :Mr Brian hays E-mail: contacts@acefinanceltd.com                                         Foreign Department Manager, ACE FINANCE LIMITED,  GREATER LONDON, E113AA    UNITED KINGDOM Tel Phone  :+447031912676 ,   +447031912696   sincerely   SIMON CROFT.            CONTROLLER

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam