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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:
  • "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.
  • brian_gally@fsmail.net

Fraud email example:

From: "philip cele" <philipcele@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 23:49:50 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!

THE HONOURABLE WINNER
Webplus Lotto
Europe

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF:W/P/L /26510460037/03 BATCH: 24/00319/IPD

ATTENTION:RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION; FINAL NOTICE

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of
winners of our promo lotto via: Webplus Lotto PROGRAMS
held on the 18TH JUNE,2005 as part of our FIRST HALF
of the year bonanza.Your E-mail is attached to ticket
number 023-0148-790-459, with serial number 5073-11 drew
the lucky numbers 43-11-44-37- 10-43, and consequently
won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
USD$2,000,000.00 in cash credited to file REF
NO:W/P/L /26510460037/03 this is from total prize money of
USD$20,000,000.00 shared among the ten international winners
in this category. All participants were selected through a
computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 emails from Middle
East, Australia,New Zealand, America, Europe, North America,
Africa and Asia as part of International Promotions Program,
which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your fund is now deposited with a Security company insured
via a lloyds of Amsterdam broker 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 receieved by you. This is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claiming 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$1.3 billion International Lottery.
To begin your claim,You will be given a form to complete and
return same to the accredited lawyer attached to this office
and then you will need to notorize your won prize at the high
court of Liechtenstein. Note that it is your responsibility
to pay the lawyers minor handling charges in Notarizing your
Won prize with the high court,

Please contact your claim agent;
Mr. Brian Gally via this mail address:
brian_gally@fsmail.net

For due processing and payment of your prize money.
Remember,all prize money must be claimed not later
than 4TH OF NOVEMBER, 2005. After this date,
all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
All Winners will be asked to show evidence that they are eligible and
identifiable. 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.

Sincerely,
Dr. Philip Cele
The Promotions Manager,
Webplus Lotto

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the
winners will result to disqualification.
The webplus lotteries are authorised and controlled by
the government of Liechtenstein, a small sovereign state
in the heart of Europe that is a member of the United
Nations and of the European Economic Area.Our opinion
is that you are not breaking any laws while playing at
WEBPLUS Lotto.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam