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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • +447040103388 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Martin Hillman <agentmartinhillman@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2006 12:39:20 +0100 (BST)
Subject: {Disarmed} VERIFICATION FOR CLAIM FORM!!! Ref: UK010105AUG


UK NATIONAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION CUSTOMER SERVICES 2006.

28 TANFIELD ROAD
CROYDON. LONDON
Ref: UK010105AUG
Batch:AUG/1051/07

Dear Holtzder,

We write to acknowledge receipt of your mail to us, and we are happy to inform you that your winning file via e-mail address: <wilfridholtzder1@VICTIMADDRESS> which won in the second category of THE NATIONAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS has been forwarded to us. You have actually been chosen as one of the lucky winners. In this regards you have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of One Million Pounds Sterling in cash credited to file REF NO: UK010105AUG PLEASE QUOTE THIS REF NO: UK010105AUG in your future correspondence with us. In furtherance of our statutory duties thereof as CLAIMS AGENTS to THE NATIONAL LOTTERY, we have been mandated to process and effect the release of your winning claim. In this regards you are required to forward immediately to our office an VERIFICATION FOR CLAIM FORM, a copy has been sent along with this mail, please fill into it the relevant information and send to my email address or by fax.

VERIFICATION FOR CLAIM FORM

FULL NAMES:.............................

COUNTRY:..........

STATE/CITY/ZIP:.....................

POSTAL/STREET ADDRESS:...................

DATE OF BIRTH:.......................

SEX:..............

OCCUPATION:.............................

TELEPHONE:.............................

FAX:.............................

YOUR WINNING PARTICULARS:

FILE REF NUMBER............................

SERIAL NUMBER........................

TICKET NUMBER......................

LUCKY NUMBER:.............................

AMOUNT WON:.............................

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS:.............................


Yours faithfully,
CLAIM AGENT
MARTIN HILLMAN
Tel:+44-704-010-3388
Fax:+44-700-580-3064




You are to call me on receipt of this mail.













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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam