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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:
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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.

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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:
  • "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.
  • +447011148633 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • claims_fiduciary102@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS DEBORAH CLARK" <irishwins223@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:32:28 -0500
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!! WINNER

March 2007 Wiiner
The Irish Lottery
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#1004) of the IRISH LOTTERY online
Sweepstakes International program this first quater of 2007 . It is now
available for claims.Your e-mail address attached to ticket
number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky
numbers:
16-17-20-28-31-35,--Bonus 04,which won you the lottery in
the 1st category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total
sum of 350,000.00 (Three Hundred And Fifty Thousand Euros) in cash
credited to fileKTU/9023118308/03. To file for your claim,
contact our fiduciary agent:

MR. MARK SPENCER.
Email: claims_fiduciary102@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: +4470 11148 633

Please do try to call and confirm your winnings
Yours faithfully,
Deborah Clark(Mrs)
Online coordinator for THE IRISH LOTTERY

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam