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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 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.
  • claims_customerservices9@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "philip spencer" <uknationallottery_info@uknational-onlinedraws.com>
Reply-To: claims_customerservices@fiduciaryprocessing.org
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 15:01:43 +0000
Subject: [Norton AntiSpam] UK NATIONAL LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION

 

UK-LOTTO HEADQUARTERS:
45 ELMDENE RD WOOLICH,
SE 16 TZ,UNITED-KINGDOM.
14-10-2005
Customer Service
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
 
WINNING NOTIFICATION
 
We happily announce to you the draw(05/1010) of the UK-LOTTO  Sweepstake
Lottery International programs held on the 27TH OF AUGUST,2005 in  LEEDS
UNITED-KINGDOM.Your e-mail address attached to ticket  number:56475600545188
with Serial number5368/05 drew the lucky numbers:6 13 17 23 32 43 49  ,which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of ₤774,505.00 
{SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FIVE BRITISH POUNDS} in cash credited to file ktu/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash  prize of ₤8,000,000 (EIGHT MILLION BRITISH POUNDS),shared amongst the  first SIX (6)
lucky winners in this category.All participants were selected randomly  from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000  companies.

This promotion takes place annually.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 ₤774,505.00  {SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FIVE BRITISH POUNDS} would be released to you by our payment  office 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
until 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  by some unscrupulous elements.
Please be warned.

To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
Mr RAY COLLINS.
Email:claims_customerservices9@yahoo.co.uk
With the following information:
FULL NAME:.............................
FULL ADDRESS:..........................
OCCUPATION:............................
SEX:..........................
MARITAL STATUS:........................
AGE:...................................
NATIONALITY:...........................
AMOUNT WON:............................
BATCH NO:..............................
WINNING NO:............................
TICKET NO:.............................
WINNING DRAW:..........................
PHONE NUMBER[LAND/MOBILE]:..............

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent.
Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program.
Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
 
Sincerely,
SIR.SPENCER PHILIP
Online coordinator
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam