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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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")
  • "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 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.
  • +447031908897 (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.
  • claimsagent_alfred@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "UK LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL" <uk_lottonotification@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 10:21:08 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

The Marina Offices,
The UK National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/4910X1/04
Batch: 12/25/0304
 

 

                        WINNING NOTIFICATION 

We happily announce to you the draw (#1026)  UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,online
Sweepstakes International programs held on the 22nd of october  2005 .
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 564 75600545-188 with serial
number 5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 18-20-22-30-32-39  which subsequently

won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
 
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$250,000,00
(Two hundred and fifty thousand, United States Dollars) in cash credited to
file RPC/9080118308/04 made available from a total cash prize of US $1 Million
dollars, shared amongst the first Five (5) lucky winners in this category.
This years Lottery Program Jackpot is the largest ever for Uk National Lottery.
The estimated $1 million jackpot would be the sixth-biggest in U.K. history. The
biggest was the $36 million jackpot that went to two winners in a May 2000 draw
of The Big Game, Mega Millions' predecessor.
 
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our booklet representative
office in Europe as indicated in our play coupon. In view of this, your US$250,000.00
(Two hundred and fifty thousand, United States Dollars) would be released
to you in any of our bank branch in Europe  . Our agent will immediately commence
the facilitation of release of funds to you as soon as you establish contact. All
participants were selected randomly from world wide web sites through a computer
drawn system and extracted from over 100,000 companies. This promotion takes
place annually.
 
This is part of precautionary measures 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.
 
CLAIMS AGENT  ALFRED   ATKINS
TEL: +447031908897 
Email:claimsagent_alfred@hotmail.com

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch
numbers in any correspondences with 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,
 
Robert Stella
Zonal Coordinator.

                                   

                                                           

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam