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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim 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.
  • +447045741699 (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.
  • smithagali@yahoo.ie (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • smithagali@o2.pl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. SMITH HAMILTON AGALI." <smithagali@yahoo.ie>
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 02:34:52 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Engel


MR.SMITH AGALI
World Cup 2010 Free Lottery Program
Headquarters22 Greenways,
Rochford, Essex SS4 1AG England
United Kingdom
Tel:+44 70457 41699
Email:smithagali@yahoo.ie or smithagali@o2.pl


Dear Engel

We are very glad to inform you that you to fill in the information and send back to us which will enable us to process your prize money.

Once the award certificate is been sent to you for your perusal,we shall also direct you to the designated payment bank that will finally process the funds and subsequently transfer your prize money into your bank account without futher delay.

Once again we congratulate you in advance

You are to provide the claim agent with the under listed information as soon as possible:

1. NAME IN FULL:.................................................................................
2. ADDRESS:...........................................................................................
3. NATIONALITY:................................................................................... 4. AGE:..................................................................................................... 5. SEX....................................................................................................... 6. OCCUPATION:...................................................................................
7. MARITAL STATUS:............................................................................
8. PHONE............................... ................................................................
9. FAX:.............................. ......................................................................
10. WINNING REFERENCES: ..............................................................
A, WINNING NUMBERS......................................................................
B, SERIAL NUMBERS............................................................................. C, TICKECT NUMBERS......................................................................... D, CREDIT FILE NUMBERS................................................................... E, TOTAL AMOUNT WON..................................................................

Yours Faithfully, MR.SMITH AGALI
Processing Officer


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam