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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 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.
  • rev_fr_woodgate_scott@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTO" <uk_i_l02@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2006 15:29:45 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

BRITISH LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS.

THE OAKROOM LOUNGE.                                                          

FROM: THE DESK OF THE MANAGEMENT BRITISH LOTTERY LONDON, UK. PRICE AWARD DEPARTMENT.                                                            Ref: UK/9420X2/68                                  Batch: 074/05/ZY369   Dear Winner  , We happily announce to you the draw (#996) of the  NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held 6th October, 2006. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serialnumber 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 07  20  22 23  34  37, Bonus Ball [38] which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 4 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £250,000 (Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterlings) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize of £1,000,000 shared amongst the first four (4) lucky winners in this category i.e Match 4 plus bonus. All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000unions, associations and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place monthly. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our African booklet representative office in Africa as indicated in your play coupon. In  view of this, your £250,000 (Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterlings) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Africa.                                  Our African  agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential your claim 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. Please be warned.To file for your claim, please contact our claims agent: Overseas Claims Unit Africa  Lottery Fiduciary Rev fr. Woodgate Scott Email: rev_fr_woodgate_scott@yahoo.co.uk Our African agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the particulars presented above citing the batch and reference numbers to this letter. Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Goodluck from me and members of staff of the  NATIONAL LOTTERY. Yours faithfully, Bryan Hunt International Relation Officer, Sweepstakes International Program. Executives: Dr. P. Swier (CEO), Mr. Gerald Goodman (Manager Foreign Operations), Mr. Franklyn Van Der Weijden (Manager Domestic Banking Operations), Dr. James Williams (Director International Credit Department), Mr. Lonni K Anderson (Legal Representative), Rev fr.Woodgate scott( African Regional Agent), Mr. Stephen Boer (Chairman), Mr. Brian Hunt(International Relation Officer).

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam