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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")
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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 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.
  • claimsfiduciaryagent@katamail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "NATIONAL LOTTERY" <nationallotteryonlinewinners@msn.com>
Reply-To: claimsfiduciaryagent@katamail.com
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 17:53:19 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

The National Lottery
PO Box 1010
Liverpool
L70 1NL
United Kingdom.
Ref: LSUK/6704/7306/05
Batch: B4/L187-82
WINNING NOTIFICATION:
 
We happily announce to you the draw (#999) held on
Wednesday, 20th July 2005.Your e-mail address attached to ticketnumber: 472154861407 225 with Serial number 7306/05 drew the lucky numbers: 4, 29, 39, 41, 43, 45, +5 Bonus Point Ball which subsequently won you the  match five plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of
 £251,420   (Two Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Four
Hundred and Twenty Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/31276508175/03.

All participants for the online version were selected
randomly from the World Wide Web through a 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 £251,420  would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.
 
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
Mr. David West
Email: claimsfiduciaryagent@katamail.com
Provide him with the information below:
1.Name:
2.Address:
3.Marital Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age:
6.Sex:
7.Nationality:
8.Country Of Residence:
9.Telephone Number:
10.Fax Number:
11.Draw Number above:
 
That way your Winnings Certificate and all other relevant
documents/paperwork can be prepared for you.  You would be required to show an instrument of identification when
cashing your cheque i.e. Drivers license or International
passport.

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.
 
Good luck from me and members of staff of the U.K NATIONAL
LOTTERY.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Sir Richard Kelly Lloyd.
Online Co-ordinator for U.K NATIONAL LOTTERY Sweepstakes
International Program.

--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam