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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "claim 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 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.
  • agentwilliams_sweepstakes@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "PENNINGTON HAL" <sweepstakes_onlinenotification@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 02:32:41 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

CASH MONEY EMAIL SWEEPSTAKES
11 COULSDON COURT ROAD
OLD COULSDON NR. 
CROYDON SURREY
CR5 2LL
LONDON

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
CASHMONEY EMAIL SWEEPSTAKES PROGRAMMES,
REF: NBM44125677 AND BATCH NO: 31/107/AY.

ATTENTION: Sir/Madam,

RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, 18th of October 2005, of
winners of the Cash Money E-mail Sweepstakes Programmes  held on 4th of July 2005 as part of our begining of year bonanza.

Your e-mail address  attached to ticket number 1416-4612-750, with serial
number 3187-17 drew the lucky numbers 31-17-8-28-55, and consequently won
the lottery in the "A" category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of Three hundred thousand pounds in cash credited to file REF NO. REF: NBM44125677. This is from total prize money of US$16,500,000.00 shared among the thirty  (30) international winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer balloting system
drawn from 25,000 namesand e-mail addresses  from Middle East, Asia, Africa,Canada,Europe and North America and Oceania as part our International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your fund is now deposited with Our paying bank LLoyds Bank TSB
Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award
strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money
remitted to your designated account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming ,
unwarranted abuse or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.

We hope with a part of you prize, you will participate in our end of year high
stakes US$1.1 billion International Lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent;

**************************************************************

MR.SHAWN WILLIAMS 
CASH-MONEY EMAIL SWEEPSTAKES
11 COULSDON COURT ROAD
OLD COULSDON NR. 
CROYDON SURREY
CR5 2LL
LONDON
E-mail:agentwilliams_sweepstakes@yahoo.co.uk

***************************************************************

for due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of
your choice.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember
to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences
with your agent. Furthermore,should there be any change of your address, do
inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our
promotions program.

Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your
claims agent as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Mr.Hal Pennington
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
Cash-Money Email Sweepstakes .

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to
disqualification.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam