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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "accredited attorney" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +31622315233 (Netherlands, 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.
  • assureagencyvb@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: stakeinfo@stakeinfo.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 15:37:24 +0100 (CET)
Subject: FROM: MRS. ANNE WALKER:


FROM: MRS. ANNE WALKER:
The National Lottery
Amstelveen 51
Post Code: 1104 KD
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ref: NL/9420X2/70Batch: 074/06/ZY345
FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We are pleased to notify you of the draw of the Megamia National Lottery, (International Online Sweepstakes Lottery Program) held on Saturday the 4th November, 2006. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over 20,000,000 names of internet users from Europe, America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, part of Africa, and North & South America as part of our international promotions programme conducted twice in a year to encourage prospective overseas entries. We hope with part of your prize awards, you will take part in our subsequent lottery jackpots.
The result of our computer draw selected your name and email address attached to e-ticket number: 56475612545 187 with Serial number 5368/03 drew the lucky numbers: 05-06-07-18-28-40 which subsequently won you the lottery in the 1st category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of Eur.250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euro) in cash or cheque deliverable to you. This is from a total of Eur.5,000,000 (Five Million Euro) shared amongst 20 lucky winners in this category.
Your prize award has been insured in your email and is ready for claims. To begin your claims, you are advised to expeditiously contact our licensed and accredited attorney and claim agent for all Overseas Lottery Winners for the processing of your winning and remittance to your designated bank account after all statutory obligations have been satisfactorily dispensed.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your prize of Eur. 250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euro) will be released to you by our fiduciary agent in the Netherlands. Please be informed that claims not processed within the stipulated period may be forfeited to the pool without further notice.
The appointed attorney 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 or telephone call to our agent with the contact details below sending the batch and reference numbers for quick verifications and release of funds between the hours of 9.00am - 6.30pm on Monday through Saturday:

Overseas Claims/Netherlands
Contact Person: Barrister Mark Hugh
Email: assureagencyvb@aim.com
Phone: +31 62 231 5233
Fax: +31 84 727 1206
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. Any lottery double claim detected by our monitoring committee will lead to the Dutch national lottery cacelling the winnings.
Very Truly Yours,

Mrs. Anne Walker.
Lottery Co-ordinator.
Amsterdam
The Netherlands.
© 2006 NL National Lottery. All rights reserved.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam