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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • nelsonchineme@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "smithjohnson1970" <smithjohnson1970@terra.com.mx>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 05:18:06 -0600
Subject: Congratulations,you won a lottery


FROM THE DESK OF VICE PRESIDENT.
THE UBAN LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD.
BATCH: EGS/ 22504002/04: REFERENCE: 15/0018/IPD
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION.
This is to inform you of the release of THE UBAN LOTTERYINTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PRIZE DRAW, held on the 25th
of july 2006, but owing to some mix up of numbers and addresses and the holidays, the results were released on the 30th july , 2006.Your name was attached to ticket number 085-12876077-09 with serial number 51390-0 that drew the lucky numbers of 03-05-12-14-28-38, which consequently won the lottery
in the 5th category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of (ONE MILLION US DOLLARS ONLY), in cash credited to file with REF: º.EGS/3662367114/13. This is from a total cash prize of £70,020.225.00, shared among the (25) twenty-five international winners in this category.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your fund is now deposited with our Union Bank
and insured in your name. Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed, and the money remitted to your account, as this is part of our security protocol, to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking of advantage of this program by participants, as has happened in the past.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names, email addresses & official addresses, from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South America, Middle East and Africa, as part of our International Promotions Program. We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the subsequent programs. To begin your lottery
claims, please contact your Claims Agent,REV, NELSON CHINEME,
EMAIL:rev_ nelsonchineme@hotmail.com.
HIS.DIRECT. MOBILE.234-8032212524.CALL HIM IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 20th AUGUST, 2006. Any claim not made by this date
will be returned to the DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.
And also be informed that 10% of your lottery winning belongs to (the PROMOTIONS COMPANY). Because they are the company that bought your ticket and played the lottery in your name. Note also that this 10% will be remitted after you have received your winnings prize, because the money is insured in your name already.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences with us; or your Claim Agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of address, please do inform your Claim Agent
as soon as possible. An original copy of your lucky winning ticket and your deposit certificate will be sent to you by your Claim Agent, REV, NELSON CHINEME.
EMAIL,rev_ nelsonchineme@hotmail.com,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!Once again from all members of our staff and thank you for being a part of our International Promotions
program. We wish you continued good fortunes.
You are to provide the claim agent with the under listed
information
as soon as possible:
1. NAME IN FULL:................................
2. ADDRESS:.....................................
3. NATIONALITY:.................................
4. AGE:.........................................
5. Sex..........................................
6. OCCUPATION:..................................
7. MARITAL STATUS:..............................
8. PHONE.......................................
9. FAX:........................................
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
(a) Note that there exists a periodic condition on all claims
process,failing which would lead to disqualification and winnings
Forfeiture.Winners are therefore advised to expedite their claims process.
(b) Being one of the lucky winners, you constitute entrant's
full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of our terms and conditions of claims to avoid any discrepancy in the cause of payment ofyour prize awards winning.
(c) To avoid double claims, you are advised to keep your winning
details very confidential, as any discrepancies resulting from a
breach of this confidentiality on the part of the winners will be
covered solely by such winner as our staffs are bound by the oath of secrecy taken on employment.
Congratulations again from all our staffs and thank you forbeing part of our Promotions program.
Sincerely,
DR SMITH JOHNSON,
VICE PRESIDENT
Co-coordinator.
NB: PLEASE SEE THAT YOU QUOTE YOUR REF AND BATCH NUMBERS IN YOUR
CORRESPONDENCE TO YOUR CLAIMS
AGENT.
===========================================================
The Camelot Lottery Promos Awards is proudly sponsored by the
Microsoft Corporation, the Intel Group, Toshiba,Dell computers,Mckintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies. The Camelot LOTTERY internet draw in each quarter of the year and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide. We are proud to say that up to Three Million Euros are won annually in more than 150 Countries worldwide.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam