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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:
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Sweep Stakes" <kandidk60@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: lamb_ken@excite.com
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 14:48:09 -0700
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

UK-LOTTO Headquarters:
The Marina Offices,
St Peters Yacht Basin,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1HX
England

Customer Service
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#1018) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,
online Sweepstakes International program held on Saturday 24th of September,
2005 in NEWCASTLE UNITED-KINGDOM.

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial
number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: and Bonus Ball
(02,11,27,29,36,44. Bonus Ball 15) which subsequently won you the lottery in
the 1st
category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 2, 027,760 (Two
million twenty seven thousand, seven hundred and sixty British pounds
sterling) in cash, credited to file ktu/9023118308/03.

All participants for this online version were selected randomly from World
Wide Web sites through 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 2,027,760 (Two million twenty seven thousand, seven hundred
and sixty British pounds sterling) will be released to you by any of our
payment offices in Europe.

Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your funds as soon as you contact her. For security reasons, you
are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is
processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to
receive your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid
double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned!!

To file for your claim, contact our claims agent below with the following
information.

Names:

Email:

FULL NAMES OF BENEFICIARY:......................

CONTACT ADDRESS:..................................

CITY/STATE:......................................

COUNTRY:..........................................

NATIONALITY:.....................................

SEX:......................AGE:...................

MARITAL STATUS..................................

TEL NO:...........................................

NEXT OF KIN:......................................

ANNUAL INCOME:....................................

AMOUNT WON: 2, 027,760 (Two million twenty seven thousand, seven hundred and
sixty British .pounds sterling)...............................

REFENCE NO:UK/9420X2/68

BATCH NO:074/05/ZY369

LUCKY NO: Bonus Ball (02,11,27,29,36,44.Bonus Ball 15).

TICKET NO.56475600545 188 .............

SERIAL NO:.5368/02..LOTTERY DATE: Saturday 24th of September, 2005 .

Congratulations once again from all members and staff of this program.
Thank
you for being part of our promotional lottery programs.

Yours faithfully,
WILSON GERARD
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam