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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.

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:
  • "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. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447031902410 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447045730959 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Graham Betts <agent.betts@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 03:15:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Verification of Lottery Winning


IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:UK/OL/2012.
Dear Winner,

I am in reciept of your mail and you should count yourself extremely lucky to have emerged as one of our winners in this years Lottery programme to create awareness for the 2012 Olympics which will be held in the United Kingdom. As you already know your email address was randomly selected along with others from over 125,600 websites on the internet. Each email address was attached to a File(Ticket) number KTU/2012118308/06.

Your email address was selected along with nine others as winners.

Your prize will be remitted in either of the Following ways:
1. DELIVERY VIA CHECK
2. WIRE/SWIFT TRANSFER

How to Claim Prizes according to the National Lotteries
Over £50,000
Any amount above £50,000 must be claimed in VIA Cheque Payout or Wire Transfer from the National Lottery Payout Centre and will be paid by cheque or Bank Transfer after due verification. No cash payment is made personally. You will be required to complete a prize claim form given below and provide proof of your identity.

The Text of the Form is provided below:

Name:
Address:
Phone and Fax Number:
ID Number:

This should be sent to the Payout Center(Either to the Bank or Courier Department) so as to authenticate your lottery winnings. Prize amount can be delivered via

(i) Cheque payout by Courier/Post or
(ii) Bank Transfer.

Send your completed prize claim form (only required for prizes over £500 and available from your National Lottery Agent) to:

COURIER DELIVERY DEPARTMENT:
Westway Despatch
E-MAIL: help@westwaydespatch.vpost.co.uk
Direct Telephone: +44 -7045730959

However if you prefer the second option of wire transfer, you will have to contact the Corresponding Payment Center for the remittance of funds. Details are provided below:

BANK NAME: STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
BANK EMAIL: services@standard.cbank.co.uk
Direct Telephone: +44 -7045730966

Kindly note that as a result of your correspondence, you are binding to the Laws of the Lottery Company in the course of making your claims. Its is imperative that you add your IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS {UK/OL/2012}as the subject of any correspondence with the courier company to ensure they respond in a timely manner. I will require a concise update on proceedings with the firm as soon as you are in contact with them.If you need any assistance whatsoever, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Regards

Graham Betts
Administration Assistant
Humber & Wolds Council
+447031902410
+447011121441






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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam