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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
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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.
  • +447031948570 (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.
  • officerclaimhenry2@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard llyod" <ukonlinelottery978@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 09:04:27 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

                       WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw (#1011) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held on  Wed 31th Aug 2005.

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:04-10-14-21-32-49(bonus no.44), 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 £52,195 (Fifty two thousand one hundred and ninety five pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.

This is from a total cash prize of £887,315 shared amongst the (17)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 bodiesthat 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 £52,195 (Fifty two thousand one hundred and
ninety five pounds sterling) would be released to you by any of
ourpayment 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 ofthis program. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary
agent: Mr Henry Smith
Email: officerclaimhenry2@yahoo.com
         
Tel:+447031948570

You can go to our online result site to confirm the
value of your winnings and also get a prize breakdown:-
www.national-lottery.co.uk/player/p/result/result.do

Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK
NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully,
Richard K. Lloyd.
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam