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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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")
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • fiduciaryharred@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Microsoft Award Team." <onlinepronotice@core.com>
Reply-To: fiduciaryharred@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:02:11 -0400
Subject: YOUR EMAIL HAS WON.


WINNING NOTIFICATION
Dear winner,
The Microsoft company successfully organized a promo, over 100,000.000.00 (One Hundred Million Great Britain Pounds) was embarked for the Draws. Winners were randomly selected from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.computer draw system was used for selection attaching email addresses to ticket numbers. EMAIL ADD: attached to ticket number:008795727498 SERIAL NUMBER: /9080648302/06 WINNING NUMBER:14-21-25-40-40-47(20) WINNING AMOUNT: 1,000,000 Pounds. DRAW DATE:30/JULY/2007 DRAW NUMBER: 1 It was held in London (UK) the claims agent assigned to you, for the release of your prize is Mr.Harry Eddie Email: fiduciaryharred@yahoo.co.uk

CONFIDENTIAL NOTICE: This email message, including any attachments, is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and prohibited from unauthorized disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in

Mrs.Joyce Brown

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam