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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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • +447031966275 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447092882415 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: MICHAEL LEXINGTON <claimsofficer200@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 15:27:01 +0100 (BST)
Subject: YOUR QUICK RESPONSE IS NEEDED




Jackpot category winner
Ref: UK/1O32X9/LHM
Batch: 100/BKU10/TYN204
14th of May 2007

Dear Winner,

Good day to you, I am upon the receipt of your last email and am writing in regards to my mail that you are to keep me informed incase should there be any question regards to your winning funds, I will appreciate your update on your winning notifications due to the un-claim winning funds.

Because your name is still on our un-claim winning list, so I will like you to update me why you have not still claim your winning funds.

You are therefore advice to Contact the FIDUCIARY AGENT for more details of your winning sum.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Mr. Michael Lexington
FIDUCIARY AGENT.
PHONE: +447031966275
Fax:: +44 709 288 2415




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam