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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")
• 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.
  • +447011148756 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: THE UNITED NATINOS LOTTERY <theunitednatinosclaimsdpt@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <unitednationslotteryonline1@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:40:09 -0600
Subject: YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS BEEN PICKED!!!



This E-mail is to inform you that you emerge a winner of $1,OOO,OOO.00USD on our online draws with batch number:BTF0147,ticket #TCF220011which was played on the 29th of August, 2007.For further Information about your Winnings,contact our LotteryFiduciary Agent with the below contact information.Official: MR.Castro KenTel:Intl +44-701-114-8756Email: unitednationslotteryonline1@yahoo.co.ukCongratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.Yours Truly,MAGRET WOODS (MRS)Co-ordinator(Online Promo Programme).

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam