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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:
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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.
  • +447031942621 (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.
  • europesweepstakesagent@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "EUROPE SWEEPSTAKES" <europeonlinestakes@msn.com>
Reply-To: europesweepstakesagent@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:19:57 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

WINNING NOTIFICATION
EUROPE SWEEPSTAKES
28 TAN FIELD ROAD,
CROYDON, .LONDON
Ref: EUG/941YI/05
Batch: 06/21/0050
............................................
...........................................
..........................................

WINNING NOTIFICATIONS:
We happily announce to you Europe sweepstakes 10th anniversary draw held
Yesterday in London. Your e-mail address attached to ticket
number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5388/02 drew the lucky
numbers:14,21,25,39,40,40,47(20),which subsequently won you the lottery in
the 1st category.

You are therefore, been approved to claim a total sum of $2,500,000.00 in
cash credited to file KPC/9080118308/02
This is from a total cash prize of $2,500,000.00 shared amongst the first
Ten (10) lucky winners in this category. This year Lottery Program Jackpot
is the largest ever in the history of Europe Sweepstakes. The estimated
$2,500,000.00 jackpot would be the sixth-biggest in U.K. history. The
biggest was the £363 million jackpot that went to two winners in a May 2000
drawing of The Big Game, Mega Millions' predecessor.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet
representative office in Europe as indicated in our play coupon. In view of
this, your $2,500,000.00 would be released to you by Either our affiliate
bank or courier .

Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of
your funds to you as soon as you make contact with him .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. 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
a 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 with the below
details for processing of your claims.

AGENT: Berry Walker
Email: europesweepstakesagent@gmail.com
TEL :+44 703 194 2621

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,
Notification Dept.
Europe Sweepstake

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam