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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:
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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million united state 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)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister. Steve Lawley" <lottojames@aim.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: ms.crobert@claranet.de
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 22:26:15 +0200
Subject: SUB: YOUR LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION


FREELOTTO SWEEPSTAKES
P=2EO BOX 4562=2C
GRAND CENTRAL STATION=2C
NEW YORK=2C NY 10163=2E
UNITED STATE OF AMERICA=2E
REF=3A FLUS=2F2031=2F8161=2F05
BATCH=3A R3=2FA312-59

WINNING NOTIFICATION

WE ANNOUNCE TO YOU THE DRAW =28#999=29 HELD ON 16TH OF LAST MONTH

YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS ATTACHED TO TICKETNUMBER=3A 56475600545 188 WITH SERIAL NUMBER 5368=2F02 DREW THE LUCKY NUMBERS=3A 04=2C29=2C39=2C41=2C43=2C45=2C42=2E THIS SUBSEQUENTLY WON YOU THE MATCH 5 PLUS BONUS=2E

YOU HAVE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED TO CLAIM A TOTAL SUM OF USD$1=2C000=2C000=2E00 =28ONE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS=29 IN CASH CREDITED TO FILE NO=3A KTU=2F9023118308=2F03=2E

ALL PARTICIPANTS FOR THE ONLINE VERSION WERE SELECTED RANDOMLY FROM THE WORLD WIDE WEB =28WWW=29 THROUGH A COMPUTER DRAW SYSTEM AND EXTRACTED FROM OVER 100=2C000 UNIONS=2C ASSOCIATIONS=2C INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATE BODIES EMAIL ADDRESSES THAT ARE LISTED ONLINE=2E

THIS PROMOTION TAKES PLACE QUATERLY=2E IN VIEW OF THESE=2C YOUR USD$1=2C000=2C000=2E00 WOULD BE RELEASED TO YOU BY ANY OF OUR PAYMENT OFFICE =2E

TO APPLY FOR YOUR CLAIM=2C PLEASE CONTACT OUR ONLINE CLAIM AGENT BELOW=3A-

MS=2E CLARA ROBERT=2E
ONLINE CLAIM PROCESSING DEPT=2E
FREELOTTO SWEEPSTAKES
EMAIL=3Ams=2Ecrobert=40claranet=2Ede

ENDEAVOUR FORWARD TO COPY OF THIS WINNING EMAIL WITH ALONG WITH THE FOLLOWINGS INFORMATION=28S=29 BELOW=3A-
YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAMES=3A
YOUR COMPLETE HOME ADDRESS
YOUR MARITAL STATUS=3A
YOUR OCCUPATION=3A
YOUR AGE=3A
YOUR SEX=3A
YOUR NATIONALITY=3A
YOUR DIRECT TEL AND FAX NO=2E

THAT WAY YOUR WINNINGS CERTIFICATE AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS =2F PAPERWORK CAN BE PREPARED FOR YOU SO THAT OUR PAYMENT OFFICE WILL RELEASE YOUR WINNING TO YOU=2E

YOU ARE ADVISED TO KEEP YOUR WINNING INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL UNTILL YOUR CLAIMS IS PROCESSED AND RELEASE=2C THIS IS PART OF OUR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE TO AVOID DOUBLE CLAIMING AND UNWARRANTED ABUSE OF THIS PROGRAM=2E

NOTE THAT ALL WINNING MUST BE CLAIM NOT LATER THAN TWO =282=29 WEEKS=2C PLEASE BE WARNED AND TREAT AS URGENT=2E

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE!!!

JAMES STILLMAN
INFORMATION CENTER
FREE LOTTO - USA


This transmission may contain information that is privileged=2C confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law=2E If you are not the intended recipient=2C you are hereby notified that any disclosure=2C copying=2C distribution=2C or use of the information contained herein =28including any reliance thereon=29 is STRICTLY PROHIBITED=2C if you received this transmission in error=2C please immediately contact the sender and destroy the material in its entirety=2C whether is electronic or hard copy format=2E Thank you=2E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam