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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")
  • "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.
  • +447031941960 (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.
  • markponfa101@mixmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "IRISH LOTTERY" <irishlotto_31@msn.com>
Reply-To: markponfa101@mixmail.com
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 01:42:41 +0000
Subject: IRISH LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION.

IRISH GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED

IRISH WEB LOTTERY

IS REGISTERED UNDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT OF

(Registration Z720633X).

The Irish Lottery

47 Meadow Vale,

Sligo, Ireland.

Ref: LSUK/2031/8161/05

Batch: R3/A312-59

We are pleased to announce to you the draw of the IRISH LOTTERY PROGRAMME online Sweepstakes International Program held on SATURDAY 14th OCTOBER 2005. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/05 drew the lucky number: 22 which subsequently won the LOTTO PLUS 1 prize. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 350,000.00 pound sterlings(Three hundred and fifty Thousand pound sterlings) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/05 of Irish Lottery.

All participants for the online version were selected randomly from theWorld Wide Web through a computer draw system and extracted from over100,000 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 playcoupon. In view of this, your  350,000.00 pound sterlings would be released to you by anyof our payment offices in Europe(UK).  

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

Agent Mark Ponfa.

Email:markponfa101@mixmail.com

TEL:+447031941960

 

That way your Winnings Certificate and all other relevant documents/paperwork can be prepared for you. 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 Number(LSUK/2031/8161/05) and Batch Number (R3/A312-59) in every correspondencewith your agent.Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

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 IRISH LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully,

MR BRAIN HUNT.

Online Co-ordinator for IRISH LOTTERY SWEEPSTAKE PROGRAMME 2005

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam