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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:
  • "claim 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: "Robert Hartsock" <mglotterywinning@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:43:29 -0700
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE

FROM: Mega Games Lottery Winning
REF: CEL/2311786008/01
BATCH: 118/00R78/I03PD

RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Mega Games Lottery winning programs held on the 26th of DEC 2005. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 20511465886-629 with serial number 3772-99 drew lucky numbers 7-14-17-23-31-44 which consequently won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of Thirty-Six Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollar (US$36,500,000) CONGRATULATIONS!!! Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000 company and 50,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every three years. We hope with part of your win!
ning you will take part in our end of the year 50 million Euro International lottery.

To file for your claim, please contact your CLAIM AGENT Mr. Steven Brown of Olympia Security and Finance via this email address info@olympiasecfin.net. Along with the Response please make sure you include the following details: Full Name, Date of Birth,
Mailing Address, Telephone, fax number, Occupation. Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 20th of January 2005. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible. Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Sincerely yours,
Robert Hartsock.
Winning Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam