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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "australian lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (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 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.
  • colephilip1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY AWARD <aust-lott-i@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <colephilip1@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:16:12 -0600
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your E-mail Emerged As A Winner


DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDS DEPARTMENT AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY CORPORATION Date: 5th of october 2007 Ref: 575061725 Batch: 8056490902/188 Winning Numbers: 1 2 26 30 40 21 ATTENTION: Lucky Recipient, We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on the 5th of october 2007 from the Australian International Lottery program, which is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using their email addresses from some site. Your email address was attached to ticket number; 675061725 9356460902, serial number 67749137002.This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows 2-9-23-35-46 bonus number 14, which consequently won the lottery in the second category. You hereby have been approved a lump sum pay of US$400,000.00 (FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) in cash credit file ref: ILP/HW 46704/03 from the total cash prize shared amongst eight lucky winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer balloting system drawn from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually. This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities where they have operational base. Further more your details (e-mail address) falls within our European representative office in Amsterdam, Holland, as indicated in your play coupon and your prize of US$400,000 will be released to you from this regional branch office in NIGERIA. We hope with part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes for US$1.3 Million international draw. HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE Simply contact our Regional Claims Office under the African Payment Center where your winning falls. Contact Person: Mr. DR.Cole Philip (RCA) Email: colephilip1@hotmail.com To file for your claim: Please quote your reference, batch and winning number which can be found on the top left corner of this notification as well as your full name, address and telephone number to help locate your file easily. For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by non-participant or unofficial personnel. Note all winnings must be claimed before 15th of October 2007 otherwise all funds will be returned as Unclaimed and eventually to the Australian National Treasury. Congratulations once again on your winnings!!! Best Regards, Mr. John Roland (Coordinator) Australian Lottery Inc. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT AT: colephilip1@hotmail.com ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION. Copyright 1999-2007 Australian Lottery

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam