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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:
  • "fiduciary 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 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.
  • +447011150055 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Joe Harrison <agentjoeharrison@yahoo.dk>
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:17:56 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: MICROSOFT WINNING VERIFICATION FORM..(FILL AND RETURN)










ATTENTION: REF: MSW-L/200-334841

I am MR JOE HARRISON the fiduciary agent assigned to your claims. I wish to congratulate you on your victory, you are a lucky person to have won this lottery. Your email address was choosen this quarter from our new java-based software promotion that randomly selects email addresses from the web from which winners were selected, thus making you the winner of the sum of 1,000,000.00GBP(One Million Great British Pounds Sterlings).
You are required to forward the following details back to us to help
facilitate the processing of your claims and certificate in order for the release of your winnings.

1. Full names.
2. Residential address.
3. Phone number.
4. Fax number.
5. Email Address won.
6. Occupation.
7. Sex.
8. Age.
9. Nationality.

You are adviced to forward these informations as soon as possible to enable us attend to your file. Please note that your winning has been deposited safely in the bank,and your information will be needed before we can release your winnings. After you have sent down these information, a certificate will be prepared for you this is to be your proof of winning from this office to the payment center before they release your funds.You are adviced to keep your winning numbers to yourself to avoid unscripulous elements from taking advantage of the situation.


Once again, congratulations.

Joe Harrison
Microsoft Award Team
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 701 115 0055








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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam