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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:
  • "british lottery international" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million british pounds" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "cashiers check" (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.
  • +447035902480 (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.
  • claims_winning2007@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: dajuop@mchsi.com (British Lottery Headquarters.)
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:38:06 +0000
Subject: British Lottery Headquarters!!!


British Lottery Headquarters:
Customer Service
28 TANFIELD ROAD,!
CROYDON.LONDON

Ref: BTL/491OXI/04
Batch: 12/25/0304

21th of July 2007

Dear prize winner,
We happily announce to you the draw of the British Lottery International
programs held on the 21th of July 2007 in London. Your e-mail address attached
to ticket number: 694 75600545 721 with Serial number 886/04 drew the lucky
numbers:

(13)(43)(06)(15)(02)(40) (09)

which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.You are therefore,
been approved to claim a total sum of £2,000,000.00 (Two Million British Pounds
Sterling) in cash credited to file RPC/9080118308/04.This is from a total cash
prize of GBP £8,Million Pounds Sterling, shared amongst the first four lucky
winners in this category.

This year Lottery Program Jackpot is the largest ever for British Lottery .The
estimated £11,955,850 Million jackpot would be the sixth-biggest in U.K.
history.The biggest was the £260 million jackpot that went to two winners in a
May 2000 drawing of The Big Game, Mega Millions' predecessor.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet
representative office in Europe as indicated in our play coupon. In view of
this, your £2,000,000.00 (Two Million British Pounds Sterling) would be release
to you by our affiliate Courier or bank in London depending on you choice.

Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of
your funds to you as soon as you make contact with him
All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through
computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies.This promotion
takes place annually. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your
winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money
remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is to
avoid double claims amongst other anticipated glitches that may and could lead
to your prize being diverted. Please be warned.To file for your claim, please
contact our fiduciary agent with the below details for processing of your
claims.

AGENT:Robert Peters
BRENT AND ASSOCIATE LTD U.K,
20 C! RAWTHORN ROAD, LONDON,
ED2 3GB ENGLAND
PHONE # +447035902480
Email: claims_winning2007@yahoo.es

After he receives your email, he will direct the
accounts department to prepare your cashiers check and
send to you more instructiions on how to claim your winnings.
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated
agent.Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this
program.Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,

Mrs.Marian Williams.
Zonal Coordinator

Warning!!!: Fraudulent emails are circulating that appear to be using Britsih
National Lottery addresses, but are not from The British Lottery.
PLEASE REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO :
CUSTOMER CARE/COMPLAINTS DEPT:support@britishonline-games.net

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam