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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "payment for the courier" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: Claims Fiduciary Agent <caroline_brown2007@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:58:57 +0100 (BST)
Subject: THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY


THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
The Free Lotto Sweepstakes,
PO Box 42 Peterborough
PE3 8XH
UNITED KINGDOM

Ref No: MELI-T/ 17-F044262312
Batch No:901/00319/HLP
Zonal Draw No: GMLA2-003
Grand Draw No: 12099

ATTENTION WINNER!

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today of your
selection as one of the five winners of the promotional Free Lotto Sweepstakes
held recently as part of our EXPERIMENTAL BONANZA.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of (
£500.000.00(G.B.P). the value of the amount comes to ($917,956.00 USD) Nine
Hundred and Seventeen thousand, Nine hundred and fifty-six United States
Dollars.

I am informing you that the Courier Service also say that immediately you make this payment for the courier charges there will be no order option than to deliver your winning cheque from them to the Courier Service Delivery that is whant Mr.Anthony White (Dispatch Office) said to us

your winning is real i can assured you that dealing with the courier company is good because your winning as been secured to them you don't have to worry over that i am your Claims Agent i advice you to act fast with the courier cost of the your delivery cheque £500,000.00 GBP.

Immediately contact the courier company and you are to update us with your dealing with the courier company.

Best regards,
Mrs.Caroline Brown
Claims Agent
Free Lotto Sweepstakes

Ruodrik Fied <RuF190@mozartmail.info> wrote:

Thank you for your totally wonderful response.

Not long ago I for some weird reason commenced to have some really vivid dreams about coins and expensive gems raining into my hands. And then I unexpectedly managed to win a small scooter bike in a newspaper competition. And then I got your letter. Is it not strange? I trust that I have not told you about this previously and am not too boring to you once more but I just found it so unusual.

I am still unconfident and I am not aware how I was picked for this award.

Please do give me some kind advice about an issue that is making me insecure, what about EU taxes? Do they affect me?

Imminently I crave to read a kind reply from you at your earliest convenience.

Hr. Ruodrik Fied

Save the world. Get the girl. Pass math. http://www.ppmusic.com/music/comp18.htm



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam