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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.
  • +448704783517 (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.
  • bt0097@hotmail.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "NATIONAL LOTTERY" <onlinenotification3@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 22:45:47 +0000
Subject: YULETIDE EDITION; NOTIFICATION.

  BTLONLINE NOTIFICATION DESK.    

 GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED!!!
 BTLONLINE INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
 IS REGISTERED UNDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT OF;
 (Registration Z720633X).

 British Lottery Headquarters:
Customer Service
28 TANFIELD ROAD,
CROYDON.LONDON

Ref: BTL/491OXI/04
Batch: 12/25/0304

ATTENTION

 Happy new year, we announce to you the draw of the British
Lottery International programs held on the 1st of
January 2006 in London. Your e-mail address attached
to ticket number: 564 75600545-188 with serial number
5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 31-6-26-13-35-7,which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.

You have been approved to claim a total
 sum of £2,500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred thousand,
Great Britain Pounds) in cash credited to file
RPC/9080118308/04 made available from a total cash prize
of £125 Million Pounds.

You were randomly selected for the online version  from world
wide web sites through a computer drawn system
extracted from over 100,000 companies.

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
£2,500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred
thousand, Great Britain Pounds) would be released to
you by our affiliate bank in London as soon as you
establish contact.

  To file for your claim, contact our
fiduciary agent via the below details;

AGENT: Mr. Nigel Garside Shorthall

   Email: bt0097@hotmail.co.uk
FAX: +448704783517

   To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, quote your
    reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or
our designated agent.

CONGRATULATIONS  FROM THE MEMBERS AND STAFF OF BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Happy NewYear ,
Michael Ronin, Esq.

Zone Co-ordinator for BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.
NATIONAL LOTTERY.

     

               Michael Ronin, Esq.                

                                                                  Zone Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam