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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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:
  • "claims 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: GLOBAL CLAIMS AGENT <mr.limhong@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:31:27 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Fill up the Following information and send back to me


Attention: LUCKY WINNER,

I am writing to inform you that i have received your
information for the claim of your prize, which you won
in the Global UK Lottery Award, I Mr. LIm Hong your
claims agent Regional Office in Nigeria will be the
one to help you in the claim of your prize money.

The (GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL UK LOTTERY AGENCY) deposited
at the paying bank few weeks ago the sum of (Four
Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds) 450,000.00 Pounds.
But before anything proceed with the transfer of your
prize money, you are required to Provide us with your
banking information that will be sent to the bank
which the will use for the transfer of your prize to
you. So you are to fill up this Fund Transfer Form
below.

The transfer of your prize money will be implemented
upon with the information acknowledged in the
transfer form below so be careful When filling, after
filling up this Transfer Form, send it back to us via this
same email address for endorsement, approval and
implementation of the transfer as fast as possible.

Fill up the Following information:

1) Full Name:

2). Full Address:

3). Marital Status:

4). Occupation:

5). Age:

6). Sex:

7). Nationality:

8). Country of Residence:

9). Telephone Number:

10). Fax Number:

11). Ticket Number:

12). Reference Number:

13). Batch Number:

14). Bank Name and Full address:

15). Bank account number for transfer:

16). Swift code:

We await your prompt response.

Note: for your own good make sure you keep this
Transfer and this claim secret to yourself until you
have claimed and gotten your prize/money.

Sincerely Yours,

Mr. Lim Hong


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam