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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "you are required to pay " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
• 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.
  • fiduciaryagent_claims2000@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "philip hart" <sweepstakeonline@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 13:42:40 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS...Claim your pirizes from (Dreamfield National Lottery) London.

Dear Sir/Madam,
Dreamfield National Lottery
124B Arcadian Mall, Woodgreen
London, UK.


WINNING NOTIFICATION EMAIL:

Sequel to our lottery draw of which you participated
either personally or through a friend or relative on
the bases of three ballot papers for a free ballot
paper, the draw has just been released having you as
one of the fifteen lucky winners in the third category
out of three million participants for the prize of
£900,000.00 pounds Sterling in the third category.
However, you missed the jackpot of £2,200,000.00 (Two
million two hundred British Pounds Sterling) in the
first category and the second category of
£1,500,000.00. The following are your winnings details
which may be required upon claims.

Event No: DFN/012-456-321
Winning No: WIN/457-455-566
Serial No: 0007
Draw No: 389

Your prize of £900,000.00 shall be paid in three
installments of £300,000.00 each.

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 double claiming
and unwarranted abuse of this program.

Claim Steps:
Contact your Fiduciary Agent for your claims as he
would aid you through the process by supplying the
above numbers.

Fiduciary Agent: Mr. Mason Peterson
Email address: fiduciaryagent_claims2000@yahoo.co.uk

That way your winnings certificate and all other
relevant documents/paperwork can be prepared for you.
Goodluck from me and members of staff of the
DreamField National Lottery.

Yours faithfully,
Spencer Cole.

Online coordinator for Dreamfield National Lottery
Dreamstakes International Program.
N.B: Please do not reply to this mail. Contact your
Claims agent immediately.

WARNING: Do not respond to any email that purport to
be ours without any due confirmation especially when
you are required to pay upfront for Insurance and Tax.
The courier company is responsible for the insurance
of your winnings to the full value. And for Tax, the
British Revenue Board shall notify you to remit the
Tax due to her after full payment.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam