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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:

• 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:
  • "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.
  • +31633785544 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • unifundsvaults@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • george.ufa@consultant.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Net Point Company" <netpoint_company@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 08:16:19 +1000
Subject: Pls Contact Your Claims Agent / Long Awaited Result


PLS CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT

NETPOINT INTERNATIONAL

NETPOINT PROMOTION/PRIZE
AWARD DEPT. GCC/(CBC)

REF: CCC/014-667/05
BATCH:BBA/33/918/PTNL
RE: WINNING FINAL NOTIFICATION

Sir/Madam,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery
Winners International programs held on the 10th Dec 05.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 10902219877-
4213 with serial number 370-611403 drew lucky numbers
4-00-97-22-00-00 which consequently won in
the 3rd category, you have therefore been approved for
a sum pay out of $2000,000 USD.
(Two Million Dollars). CONGRATULATIONS!!! This is
from the total sum of 10,000 000 United State Dollars
category for three winners.

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that
you keep your winning information very confidential till
your claims has been processed and your prize/money
Remitted to you. This is part
of our security protocol to avoid double claiming
and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
All participants were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn

from over 200,000,000 company and 300,000,000 individual
email addresses and names from all over the world. This
promotional program takes place annually. We
hope with part of your winning you will take
part in our next year USD90,000 000 million
international lottery. To file for your claim,
please contact our/your fiducial agent


UNIVERSALFUNDS AGENCY
AWARDS MANAGEMENT
Email: unifundsvaults@hotmail.com


MR. GEORGE BROWN
TEL: +316 337 85544
Email: george.ufa@consultant.com

Note that all unclaimed funds will be included in the next
stake.Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications please remember to quote your reference
number and batch numbers in all correspondence. Further,
should there be any change of address do inform our agent
as soon as possible. Congratulations once more from
our members of staff and thank you for being part of
our promotional program. Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is
automatically disqualified.

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Rose Fins
Lottery Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam