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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "fudiciary" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • johnsmithclaimagent@hushmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: gho uk14 <gho_uk14@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:39:34 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION:



Head QuartersThe National LotteryP O Box 1010Liverpool, L70 1NLUNITED KINGDOM(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68Batch: 074/05/ZY369

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#460) of the THUNDERBALL WINNING under the UK/SA NATIONAL LOTTERY,online Sweepstakes International program held on 13th Oct2007 . Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers

which subsequently won you the lottery of the Jackpot Prize.You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £820.000.00 ( Eight Hundred & Twenty Thousand, Pounds) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed on line. This promotion takes place weekly.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our South africanbooklet representative office in South Africa as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your £820.000.00 would be released to you by any of our payment offices in South Africa.

Our South African agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. To file for your claim, please contact our fudiciary agent:


CONTACT INFORMATION
NAME :John Smith
EMAIL:johnsmithclaimagent@hushmail.com
PHONE:0027 732 784 955


Provide him with the information below:
1.Name:2.Address:3.Marital Status:4.Occupation:5.Age:6.Sex:7.Nationality:8.Country Of Residence:9.Telephone Number:10.Fax Number:11.Email Address:12.Draw Number above:460
13.Reference number:
14.Batch number:


That way your Winnings Certificate and all other relevant documents/paperwork can be prepared for you.

You would be required to show an instrument of identification when cashing your cheque i.e. Drivers license or International passport. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.











Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK/SA NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully
MRS MAGRET POWELL
Online coordinator for UK/SA NATIONAL LOTTERYSweepstakes International Program
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam