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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:
  • "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.
  • gamingboard65@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "UK LOTTERY BOARD" <info@freelotto.org>
Reply-To: gamingboard65@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 13:09:58 -0600
Subject: HELLO !!!







Your ticket number: 023-0148-790-459 with Serial number 5368/05 drew

the lucky number: 29 We are pleased to notify you that your emailaddress

emerged as a winner in our promotional lotto sweepstakes and as a

result you havebeen granted the lump sum payout of 500.000.00G.B.P which is

equivalent to $917,956.00 USD .Contact your claims officer below for

your claims/winnings.

________________________________________

Mr. Donard Moore: gamingboard65@hotmail.com

________________________________________

you are to forward the following details to enable us clear your file

for immediate payment:



1. Full Names:................( )2. Address:............( )

3. Age: .............( )4. Sex:................( )5. Marital Status:

...................( )

6. Occupation:..........( )7. Phone numbers: ...............( )

8. Fax number:......( )9. Country: ............( )



Sincerely,

Mrs Carla Gibbs

On line Coordinator

Free Lotto Sweepstakes.


___________________________________________________________

Fidelity Communications Webmail - http://webmail.fidnet.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam