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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
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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.
  • certifiedagent@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: lucky luckywinner <lucky@lluckywinner.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:43:11 +0100 (CET)
Subject: award notice


THE LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR
HERITAGE LOTTERY
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
RE / AWARD NOTIFICATION
This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of
Two Hundred and fifthy Thousand euros.
The selection process was carried out through random selection in our
computerized email selection system(s) from a database of over 250,000
email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world.
This HERITAGE MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY WINNINGS PROGRAMS is approved by the
Netherlands Gaming Board and also Licensed by the The International
Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR). The Heritage Lottery Funds NL
(HLF) was set up by multi national companies in 1994 to give grants to a wide range of
projects involving the local, regional and national heritage of the
Netherlands. We distribute a share of the money raised by the National Lottery for
Good Causes.
To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your claims
officer through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below:
Mr. Gerald Bierhoff
Admira de ruyterweg 121
1056 ab AMSTERDAM
The netherlands
Email: certifiedagent@rediffmail.com
We advice you to provide him with your batch number BATCH: 2006MJL-01
and your reference number REF NO: HLF/200-26937.
You are also advised to provide him with the under listed information as
soon as possible:
Claims Requirements:
1.Name in full---------------------------------------
2.Address-------------------------------------------
3.Nationality-----------------------------------------
4.Age------------------------------------------------
5. Sex ------------------------------------------------
6.Occupation-----------------------------------------
7.Phone/Fax------------------------------------------
8.Present Country-------------------------------------
9.Email Adress----------------------------------------
10.Choice of Delivery
(a) Through our online banking ---------------
(b) Cash collection at our payment centre in holland
If you do not contact your claims agent within 7 working days of this
notification, your winnings would be revoked. Our winners are assured of
the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the
end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire.Winners are advised to keep
their winning details/information from the public to avoid fraudulent
claim (IMPORTANT)pending the transfer/claim by Winner.
NOTE: ANYBODY UNDER THE AGE OF 16 IS AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED. To
avoid unnecessary delays and complications, quote your reference/batch
numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent.
Congratulations once more.
Faithfully,
Jim osterbleek
Zone Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam