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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:
  • "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.
  • +447031851332 (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.
  • flashbudgetclaim2001@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: Zandileg@zwallet.com
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 17:13:43 +0200
Subject: AWARD NOTICE

FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.

HEADQUARTERS: 1A, BEXON COURT CARLTON
NOTTINGHAM SHIRE NOTTINGHAM NG4 1SQ ESSEX
UNITED KINGDOM

REFERENCE Nº: EGS/2251256003/03
BATCH Nº: 14/0017/1PD

AWARD NOTIFICATION

Flash Budget Finance Lottery of British International Lottery Program wishes to
inform you the results of the E-mail address ballot lottery program by the British
International Lottery Program held on Jan 21st, 2006. Your email account was selected
as a winner of Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds Only.

This result is now made available to you and your email address attached in the
Category A bonus ball 02, 03, 21, 24, 38, 44, and bonus ball 47. Participants were
selected through a computerized ballot system drawn from company and individual email
addresses users.

We advice that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has
been processed and your money released to you. This is part of our security protocol
to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. For the release of
your winnings, kindly contact your claims agent with the following details to
expedite the processing of your prize winning.

1. Full name and address.
2. Country of Residence
3. Tel and fax number.
4. Occupation.

To begin your claim, please contact our Claim Manager at the Claim Department
immediately with the following email address; flashbudgetclaim2001@yahoo.co.uk
OR call on telephone number +44 703 185 1332. All winning must be claimed not later
than two weeks from the date of receipt of this email. After this date all prize
winning will treated as Unclaimed

Note in order to avoid unnecessary delays; remember to quote your Reference and
Batch numbers in all correspondence. Congratulations once again from all our
staff and thank you for being part of our special quarterly promotional Lottery
program.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Harry Wilson
(Information and Promotion Manager)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam