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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:
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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:
  • "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.
  • +6698851406 (Thailand, probably a 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.
  • erick2010@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Carol Hunter" <carolhunter02@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 18:29:28 +0000
Subject: THE NATIONAL LOTTERY


THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
AN CRANNCHUR NAISIUNTA
An Post National Lottery Company.
www.lotto.ie

We are pleased to inform you of the result of The
National Lottery Email Program has been released.Your
Email address attached to ticket number 5-4-3-2-1-0
with serial number 2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 03
04 08 12 27 36 which consequently won the lottery in
the 1st category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout
of €1,000,000.00 (One Million Euros) in cash credited
to file EAASL/941OYI/02/STXN.
This is from a total cash prize of €50 Million Euros
shared amongst
the first fifty (50) lucky winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer
ballot system drawn from 25,000 names and email
addresses from all continent of the world as part of
our international promotions program which we conduct
twice every year

To begin your claim please contact your claims agent:

Mr.Erick Doray
Claims Agent Asian District
Bangkok Thailand.
Phone: +66-988-51-406
Email: erick2010@myway.com
Your claims agent will assist you in the processing
for the remittance of your prize funds pending on your
choice of payment.

Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later
than One month.
After this date all funds will be returned to the
LOTTERY TREASURY as
unclaimed. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications,please endeavor to quote your Reference
(TNL/776/05/EGS) and Batch numbers (02/01/0078) in
every correspondence with your agent. Furthermore,
should there be any change in your address, do inform
your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations once again from all members of our
staff and thanks for
being part of our promotions program.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Carol Hunter.
Promotions Manager
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam