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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:
  • "fiduciary 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.
  • +447040124781 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Agent West <agentwestclaims1@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:50:04 -0800 (PST)
Subject: CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM




Customer Service /Foreign Claims Dept.
Tel: +447040124781
Fax: +447075707774
Ref: LSUK/6704/7306/06
Batch: B4/L187-82




Dear Winner,


Be ifformed that All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from the 100,000 company/individal email addresses from all over the world as part of our international promotions program, which we conduct every decade.

We therefore advise you to provide your information for onward processing of your winning claims as stated below.

VERIFICATION

1.FULL NAMES:__________________________________
2.ADDRESS:_____________________________________________
____________________________________________
3.SEX:_______________
4.AGE:________
5.MARITAL STATUS:___________________
6.OCCUPATION:________________________
7.NATIONALITY__________________________
8.COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE_________________________
9.E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
10.TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________
11.FAX NUMBER:_________________________________
12.LOTTO NUMBER:____________________ B. DRAW NUMBER:______________
13.TICKET NUMBER:___________________
14.SERIAL NUMBER:__________________
15.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL____________
___________________________________________

Do send the requested information to enable us process your prize

Mr. David West
Fiduciary Agent
U K Lottery Claims Department


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam