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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:
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: EDDIE JAMES <infodept_101@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 00:21:19 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Attn Schultitz:Winning claim proceedure for Ref: BTL/491OXI/04/Batch: 12/25/0304


Dear Schultitz,
Congratulations once again from all the staff here. In order to verify your winnings, we need your particulars for record purposes, Below here is a copy of our verifications form, please fill accordingly so as to proceeda with your winnings and we will send to you a scan copy of your winning prize cheque.Note that you are to fill and send the imformations below to your fiduciary agent(Rev Eddie James) for immediate release of your funds. Once again congratulations from all the staff.
VERIFICATIONS FORM
FULL NAMES...................................................
CONTACT ADDRESS........................................
TEL/FAX NUMBERS.........................................
AGE.................................................................
SEX..................................................................
OCCUPATION.................................................
NEXT OF KIN..................................................
COUNTRY........................................................
AMOUNT WON................................................
WINNING EMAIL.............................................
REFERENCE NUMBER....................................
TICKET NUMBERS..........................................
SERIAL NUMBERS...........................................
Upon receipt of the duly requested data, I will send you the contact information of the payment office so you can proceed the release of your funds.
Warm Regards,
REV EDDIE JAMES
www.national-lottery.co.uk/player/p/results/results.do




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam