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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "to your nominated bank account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • julianholysolicitors@mail.md

Fraud email example:

From: <awardnotification@gclintl.org>
Date: Sat, 07 Jan 2006 11:37:53 -0600
Subject: Congratulations!!! YOU HAVE WON


                                        INTERNATIONAL CLAIM DEPARTMENT
                                           STERLING MILLIONAIRE LOTTERY
                                                      ALBERTON HOUSE
                                                  ST. MARY'S PARSONAGE
                                                          MANCHESTER
                                                             ENGLAND

                                                   

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

YOU WON: 1,800,000.00 Pounds Sterling

With utmost joy, we are pleased to inform you of the result of the Sterling Millionaire Lottery International programs held on the 19th, of December 2005.
 
Your e-mail address attached to TICKET NUMBER 566-018-9-77 with REF NO.1037231II drew these lucky numbers 894-4563-001, which consequently won in the 2nd category. You have been approved to receive a cash prize of 1,800,000.00 Pounds Sterling (ONE MILLION, EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING).

Be advised that due to incessant mix up in cash prize transfer to previous winners, we advise that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your fund (1,800,000.00 Pounds Sterling) transferred to your nominated bank account. This security measure is important; it is protocol meant to avoid double claims, transfer and unwarranted abuse of this program by other participants.

METHOD OF SELECTING WINNERS:
Participants were selected anonymously through a private ballot system (computer ballot) from over 35,000 companies and 70,000 individual e-mail addresses all over the world. At the final draw your e-mail address emerged as the winner of our last jackpot.

This promotional program takes place bi-annually, and it is promoted and sponsored Orient software corporation (Orient Networks). It is meant to reward some individuals and corporations who have devoted their time and resources surfing the world wide web (www) with their email addresses.

Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 20th January 2005 . After the expiration of that time frame, if your fund is unclaimed, it will be refunded to us and included in our next draws.

Lastly, in order to avoid unnecessary delays/complications with the transfer of your funds to you, please always remember to quote your Reference number in all correspondence with our paying institution. Furthermore, should there be any change of your present address, please notify us immediately so as to enable us make the appropriate adjustment.

Congratulations from the management and staff of Sterling Millionaire Lottery.

-----------------------------------------------------
Kindly, immediately, contact your claim agent/Attorney:
Barrister Nicholas Simpson
JULIAN HOLY SOLICITORS
julianholysolicitors@mail.md
 
for due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember, all claims must be made before  25th January 2006 .
After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

Congratulations once again.
 
Yours in services,
Maria McGuffie.
(Lottery Coordinator)
 
Note: All e-mail transmission/correspondence are 100% protected by our Secure Socket Layer (SSL) server.

--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam