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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "microsoft lottery"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +447011128530 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Agent Desmond Smith <ag_desmondsmith02@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2006 19:48:04 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: ATTENTION:Waldron Gerstenst:CONTACT PAYMENT CENTRE.



AWARD PRIZE: £1,000,000,000 GB
Fiduciary Agent:Mr Desond Duff
AWARD FINANCE DEPARTMENTS
ACCREDITTED EGENCY.
MICROSOFT LOTTERY INC

REF NO: MSW/ 776090X2/23
BATCH NO: 013/05/8394369

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATTENTION:Waldron Gerstenst,

CONGRATULATIONS! You have been cleared a winner
of our programs.Your Original Certificate and Certified bank
cheque has been forwarded to the payment centre, of which
contact details are below;
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lloyds TSB Bank.
Contact: Mr. Alastair Murray
(Forex Allocation Unit Manager)
Address: 160-162 High Street, Acton, London, W3 6RA
Email alastair_m@accountant.com
Tele: +447011128530
Tele: +447031893121
Fax : +448704782993



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are adviced to contact the payment bank via
the above stated email address for their cost of
transfer. When contacting them, you are to include
this customer identification code as your subject.

CIC NO: CB-00413330856

NOTE: you are to quote your complete names,ref/batch
Numbers and direct phone number in other that they may
honour your letter. Do keep us updated on correspondences
with the payment centre.

Sincerely,

Mr.Desond Duff ,
Fiduciary Agent

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam