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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:

• 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:
  • "fudiciary" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims 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. 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.
  • +447045701010 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • worldnet_post@hotmail.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: UK NATIONAL LOTTERY <winnotice@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 22:01:41 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT COURIER OFFICE FOR THE COST OF YOUR DELIVERY


The Marina Offices, St Peters Yacht Basin,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1HX
England.
(Customer Services)


The Marina Offices, St Peters Yacht Basin,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1HX
England.

Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

Dear Winner,

I am happy to announce to you that you have been cleared winner of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY. I am your fudiciary agent appointed by the UK LOTTERY board to help you in the claims of your winnings and assist you as your lawyer in case any thing goes wrong during your claims process.You can now proceed with your final claims of your winning sum.

Your cheque has been forwarded to me, i have forwarded your cheque and original lottery certificate to the UK LOTTERY affiliate COURIER COMPANY to help deliver winnings to your locality.

You are advised to send the courier company a mail to their email address for their courier cost which you the winner, has to pay for the delivery of your winning package. When contacting them, you are to include this order number and your contact address as your subject. Please you are adviced to write down your contact address and save it.

You are to contact the courier company with the following details for proper identification and claim of your winnings.


ORDER NUMBER:D562725

NAMES.....................................................

ADDRESS...................................................

COUNTRY...................................................


TEL........................................................

Please take your time to read the first mail of WINNING NOTIFICATION to really understand how you won this price as an international winner.

WORLDNETPOST COURIER SERVICES
ADDRESS OF HEAD OFFICE:Link House, 1C CHURCH STREET,
WHITCHURCH, HANTS, RG28 7AD ENGLAND.
NAME:MR MCLEAN TRUSCOTT (dispatch officer)
EMAIL: worldnet_post@hotmail.co.uk


Note: You are to quote your complete names, Ref/Batch Numbers, winning amount and your direct phone number so that they can honour your letter. Once again i say congratulations.


Mr.Ryan Forrest
Claims Agent,
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.
TEL: +447045701010


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One email account is enough. Simplify your life by switching other accounts into Yahoo! Mail.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam