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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
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• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. )
• 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 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.
  • allied_courierservices@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ms. Mary Ken" <mary_ken007@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 23:55:30 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT ALLIED COURIER FOR YOUR WINNING CLAIMS




UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
HOME OFFICE:
165 FULHAM PALACE RD.
W6 8JB UNITED KINGDOM.
REFERENCE NUMBER:UK/839030X2/14
BATCH NUMBER:065/088/XY24
TICKET NUMBER:023-1111-790-458
Date: 9/06/2007

ATTENTION: Winner,


CONGRATULATIONS!
This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the United Kingdom National Lottery, online Sweepstakes International program.
I am happy to inform you, your Original Certificate and your Certified bank cheque has been fowarded to the ALLIED COURIER SERVICES.
We have forwarded for courier delivery the following items,
1) Award Prize (Original Copy)
2) Official Letter of Winning Notification
3) A Cashier Cheque of cash value £643,206 *Only* (Issued for claims by only your Name).
Find below the details of the courier company.
NAME: ALLIED COURIER SERVICES.
ADDRESS: Link House, Link Place, BRIGHTON, Sussex, BN1 7DX, ENGLAND
Mrs.Susan Wood (Customer Service)

Contact Email: allied_courierservices@yahoo.com

You are advised to send the ALLIED COURIER SERVICES a mail to their email address for their delivery cost.When contacting them,you are to include this order number and your winning amount as your subject.Please you are adviced to write down the order number and save it.
ORDER NUMBER:562725
Note:you are to Quote your complete names,Ref/Batch Numbers,winning amount.In furtherance, a scan copy of your prize certificate is herein attached.For further correspondence and with due certification, please update this office with your current status for subsequent development in regards to this pending claim exercise.
Congratulation once again,
Richard Lloyd.
(Fiduciary Agent)
Claims Release Department,
British(UK) National Lottery,
OCEANIC B.T COMPANY,
UNITEDKINGDOM



Co-ordinator(Online Promo Programme



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam