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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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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")
  • "overseas claims unit" (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 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.
  • +447045701300 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: UK NATIONAL LOTTERY BOARD <overseas_claim_sunit@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <drakemiller_11@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:12:09 -0400
Subject: UK NATIONAL LOTTERY AWARD.



THE NATIONAL LOTTERYP.O.BOX 1010
LIVERPOOL,L70 1NL UNITED KINGDOM,
15th AUGUST 2007
REF:UK/9420X2/68,BATCH:074/05/ZY369

We happily announce to you the draw (#8976) of the UK NATIONALLOTTERY, 2007 awards Sweepstakes International program held at Covent Garden London,

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 1475600545 9643 withSerial number 5368/07 drew the lucky numbers: 01 . 08 . 12 . 24 . 67 .76 Winning Numbers Bonus Ball [55] which subsequently won you the lottery in the 1st categories of the 2007 bonanza i.e match 4 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total lump sum of1,000,000GBP (One Million Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to fileGKH/0011118308/07.

This is from a total cash prize of 20,000,000GBP shared amongst thefirst twenty (20) lucky winners in this series year category(April 2007)i.e Match 4 plus bonus.All participants for the online version were selected randomly fromWorld Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted fromover100,000 unions, associations and corporate bodies that are listedonline. This promotion takes place weekly.Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Europeanbooklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your playcoupon.In view of this, your 1,000,000GBP (One Million Pounds Sterlings)would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.OurEuropean agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of yourfunds as soon as you contact him. Your claims will be processed and remitted to you inwhatever manner youdeem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measureto avoid double claimingand unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned. To file foryour claim, pleasefill the form given below and contact our claims agent whose detailsare given below ;

FILL THE FORM BELOW

Name___________________________________Age_____________________________________Sex_____________________________________Marital Status_____________________________Tel/Fax___________________________________Address___________________________________Occupation___________________________________

NB: FILL AND RETURN THE FORM TO THE CONTACTS BELOW;

Overseas Claims UnitUnited Kingdom Lottery FiduciaryMr.Drake Miller.drakemiller_11@yahoo.co.ukTel:+44 704 570 1300Tel:+44 704 570 8873Tel:+44 702 409 6488

CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN FROM ALL MEMBERS AND STAFF OF UKLOTTERYBOARD!!!.

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS MADE YOU RICH!!!Truly Yours,James Sylvester(Online Coordinator).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam