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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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!
• 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.
  • eu.lottery@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Joseph Mack" <josephmack_00@msn.com>
Reply-To: lotto_boardcompany@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:38:11 +0000
Subject: your winning notification

European Union Lottery Organization.
United Kingdom

REF: GL/26037/06.
BATCH: GL/009/IP.

Dear sir,

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of today, 27th OF Feburary
2006, of winners of the European Union International Programs held on 28th
of Feburary 2006 in London, United Kingdom. Your email address was attached
to ticket number 08-9076-790-432; with serial number 5983-34 drew the lucky
numbers 22-91-00-52-10-47 and consequently won you the lottery in the 3rd
category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of GBP750, 550.00 (Seven
Hundred and Fifty Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty British Pounds) in cash
credited to file REF NO.GL/26037/05. This is from total prize money of
GBP7,505,500.00 shared among the ten International winners
in this category. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide
Web through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies
and individual emails as part of our International Promotions Program, held
annually.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet
representative office here in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In
view of this, your GBP750,550,000.00 British Pounds would be released to you
by our board after due verification. Our commision will immediately commence
action on your winning to facilitate the Release of your funds as soon as
contact is made. For security reasons you are advised to keep your winning
information confidential.

To file for your claim, contact our fiducial agent:
MR FRANK BOWLER
EUROPEAN UNION LOTTERY OFFICE
REGIONAL HEADQUATERS
Email: eu.lottery@yahoo.com
============================================================
You are also advised to provide him with the under listed information as
soon as possible:
1. Name in full, Phone/Fax
Our verification officer will notify you immediately with all other details
upon your filling of your claim.
If you do not contact your claim agent within 7 working days of this
notification, your winning would be revoked. Winners are advised to keep
their winning details/information from the public to avoid fraudulent
claim (IMPORTANT) pending the transfer/claim by Winner.

Yours Sincerely,
Joseph Mack
Zonal Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam