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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:
  • "processing fee" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
• 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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barry maldwyn" <barrymaldwyn@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 00:24:40 +0100
Subject: WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU.

THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
UK HEAD OFFICE
1STt FLOOR, LONGS COURT,
LONDON, WC2H 7EL
ENGLAND
www.freelotto.com

DEAR BALDEMAR HERT,

FL/04/736207152/UK

PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT WE RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR CLAIM OF THE SUM OF
ONE MILLION POUNDS. YOU ARE HEREBY DIRECTED TO FORWARD THE FOLLOWING
INFORMATION TO FACILITATE THE PAYMENT OF YOUR FUNDS:

1. RECEIPT OF PAYMENT OF YOUR HANDLING/PROCESSING FEE
2. MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION.
3. FULL NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER
4. ACCOUNT DETAIL OR ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT YOUR PRIZE PAID OR SENT. IN THE
CASE WHERE YOU PREFER A CHECK TO BE SENT TO YOU, PLEASE STATE THAT ALSO, BUT
IF YTOU WANT THE FUNDS TO BE SENT TO YOUR BANK VIA WIRE TRANSFER, WE ADVICE
YOU SEND YOUR ACCOUNT DETAILS.



PAYMENT OF HANDLING/PROCESS FEE SHOULD BE MADE VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY
TRANSFER AS IT IS OUR PREFARED MEANS OF RECEIVING PAYMENT, AS IT IS LESS
CUBERSOME AND FASTER TO OUR CASH OFFICER .
DETAILS OF HOW TO PAY PROCESSING FEE.

NAME: DAVID JAMES
ADDRESS LONDON UK
AMOUTH: £ 580 POUNDS ONLY.

OUR REGULATION DO NOT MAKE ROOM FOR DEDUCTION.YOUR PRIZE HAVE BEEN INSURED
TO THE REAL VALUE OF £1,000,000 AND NO DEDUCTION CAN BE DONE.THE FEE IS FOR
THE AGENT THAT WILL FACILITATE THE PROCESSING AND HANDLING OF YOUR PRIZE.IT
IS NOT MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY THE FEE.THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO
THAN TO APPEAL TO YOU TO PAY THIS FEE TO ENABLE YOU CLAIM YOUR PRIZE.
WE HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND AND COOPERATE WITH US.THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND
CONGRATULATIONS!!! ONCE AGAIN.


ALL PAYMENTS ARE DULY GUARANTEED AND WE ARE POISED TO ENSURE CUSTOMERS
SACTISFACTION.

FOR YOUR OWN INTEREST PLEASE FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS ACCORDINGLY AND MAKE
SURE THERE IS NO MISTAKE OR OMISSION IN THE DETAILS WHEN MAKING THE PAYMENT
AS THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISTAKE ON
YOUR PART.
COPIES OF TRANSFER RECEIPT SHOULD BE SENT TO ME VIA EMAIL AS ATTACHMENT OR
FAX FOR RECORDS AND REFERNCE PURPOSE.
NOTE THAT YOUR ONE MILLION POUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERED WITHIN 48HOURS AFTER
CONFIRMATION OF THE PAYMENT OF PROCESS/HANDLING FEE.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

MR. BARRY MALDWYN
CHIEF FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
THE FREELOTTO COMPANY
TEL: 44 7040 104 182
FAX: 44-87-1256-3783

Important Notice: Your Email address and winning information were provided
by INTERNET AND EMAIL CENSORS ASSOCIATION The United Kingdom Lottery accepts
no blame for any unwarranted use of email addresses, therefore all blames,
complains should be directed to the INTERNET
AND EMAIL CENSORS ASSOCIATION.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam