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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million dollars" (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)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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.
  • +447075055509 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: online office <reed_ray@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2007 09:38:51 +0000
Subject: CONTACT YOU CLAIMS AGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!



ONLINE SWEEP LOTTERYID/007/897/04 Wellington Way, Brooklands Business Park,Weybridge, KT13 0TT United Kingdom.

Ref: LSUK/2231/81/04Batch: OBW/A10-234 Dear Winner, WORLDWIDE ONLINE-SWEEP WINNING NOTIFICATION Greetings to you, we happily announce to you the draw of theONLINE SWEEPSTAKE Lottery International programs held on the 1st ofSEPTEMBER 2007 in UNITED KINGDOM.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188with Serial number 5368/02, the lucky numbers: 19-6-26-17-35-7,whichsubsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd draw category.You havetherefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$2,500,000.00 (Twomillion,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash creditedto file ktu/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of US $ 25Million dollars, shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners inthis category. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web sitethrough computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companiesand this promotion takes place annually. To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:MR KELVIN COXEmail: kelvin_coxoffice1@yahoo.co.ukFax:+44-70-7505-5509Telephone:+44-70-1113-6892Provide him with the information below:1.Name:2.Sex:3.Addres/Nationality:4.telephone Number:5.email address6:Occupation: To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote yourreference/batch numbers to any correspondences with us or ourdesignated agent.Congratulations once more from all members and staffsof this program.Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.SIR PAUL SMITHONLINESWEEP LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR
_________________________________________________________________
Feel like a local wherever you go.
http://www.backofmyhand.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam