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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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 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.
  • suzanelliotmrs@excite.com

Fraud email example:

From: "david james" <davidjames_445@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: suzanelliotmrs@excite.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 03:56:33 -0500
Subject: DRAW RESULTS



Customer Service
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

We happily announce to you the draw of the UK-LOTTO Sweepstake
Lottery International programs held on 14TH JANUARY 2006
in LEEDS UNITED-KINGDOM.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 564
75600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:
04-08-16-23-28-47-34
which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of
US$854,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty four Thousand United States
Dollars) in cash credited to file ktu/9023118308/03.This is from
a total cash prize of US $8,540,000 million dollars, shared amongst
the first Ten (10) lucky winners in this category.
All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site
through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000
companies. This promotion takes place annually.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our
European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in
your play coupon.In view of this, your US$854,000.00 (Eight hundred and
fifty four Thousand United StatesDollars) would be
released to you by our payment office in europe.
Our European agent will immediately commence the process to
facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact her.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning
information confidential till your claims is processed and your
money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim
your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid claiming and
unwarranted
abuse of this program by some
unscrupulous elements. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:

MRS SUSAN ELLIOT.
suzanelliotmrs@excite.com


You can go to our online result site to confirm the
value of your
winnings and also get a prize breakdown:-
http://lottery.co.uk/res/

Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our
designated agent.
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this
program. Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery
program.

Sincerely,

MR DAVID JAMES
UK-LOTTO Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam