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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand united states 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 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.
  • +27783804940 (South Africa, 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.
  • uni-loto1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "universal lottery" <uni-loto3@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: uni-loto@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:31:59 +0200
Subject: AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE

UNIVERSAL LOTTERY BOARD,
SOUTH AFRICAN OFFICE,
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.
BATCH: 340/1608/RDL.
REF: NO EG/033-20737-750/25/08/03


ATTENTION: SIR,

AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE.

We are pleased to inform you of the release of JULY, 2006 of the result of
the sweepstake WORLD INTERNET LOTTERY Int.promotion programs. Your name
attached to the ticket number 033-20737-750 with serial number 033-05 drew
the lucky number 13-15-16-21-34-36 which consequently won lottery in the 2nd
category.
You are therefore been approved for a lump sum of US$800,000.00 (Eight
Hundred Thousand United states dollars) in cash credited to the file Nº
EG/033-20737-750/05/06/03. This is from the total cash prize of
US$23,800,000.00 twenty-three million eight hundred thousand United
states dollars, shared among seventeen international winners in this
category.
Your fund is secured under a comprehensive insurance policy in your name,
which permits nobody or group of persons to subtract from it. Due to mixed
up of some numbers and names. We ask that you keep this award top secrete
from public notice until your claims has been processed and your money
remitted to your nominated account. As this is part of our security protocol
to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of advantage of this program
by participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
25,000 names, from all over the world as a part of our International
promotion program which we conduct twice every year. We hope that, with a
part of your prize you will take part in our end of the year high
stake US$1.3bn lottery. To avoid scam, please contact only your assigned
agent below.
You won this lottery because you subscribed online. Some names were selected
via the net and lottery was played on their behalf to mark world Internet
day. This is part of the program to promote Internet in the world. To begin
your claim, please contact your claim agent

CONTACT PERSON :DR THABO AUSTIN
E.MAIL:uni-loto1@hotmail.com
phone +27-783-804-940

for processing and remittance of your money to a designated account of your
choice.
Remember all prize money must be claimed not later than 6 weeks from the
date of this notice after this date all funds will be returned to the
ministerio de economia hacienda as unclaimed. Note in order to avoid
unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your ref. and batch nos.
in every correspondence with your agent.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address, do please inform your
claims agent as soon as possible. Congratulations again from all members of
staff and thank you for being a part of our promotions program.
Yours Sincerely ,

WOOD SMITH.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam