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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim 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.
  • +447024071723 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "lotto " <lotto32@rediffmail.com>
Date: 20 Jan 2007 08:03:00 -0000
Subject: YOU HAVE WON!!!!!


UK Stake National LotteryEngland
We announce today the 1st 2007, external draw #2011 of the UK Stake National Lottery draw held on the 5th January, 2007 in the United Kingdom. Your email address was attached to Ticket Number207/510054/UKNL, with Serial number 99010, which won in the 2nd Category.
You have been approved for payment the sum of £1,000,000:00 (One Million Great British Pounds) credited to file with REF NO:UKNL/98710/ED/06 and Batch No.10050UKNL.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary claim Agent;
Mr.Mark JohnEmail:payment_33@yahoo.itTel:&nbsp;&nbsp; +44 7024071723Claims Consultant
Please remember to quote your Reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with your claim agent. All prize money must be claimed not later than the 31st of January, 2007.
Congratulations!!!
Sincerely,Elizabeth JohnsonZonal Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam