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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "transfer of your funds" (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.
  • +447024016869 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448709742645 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • thomas_info@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • thomas_info1@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: Vitali Kovalenko <vitali.kovalenko@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:30:49 -0800 (PST)
Subject: brandenburg

I was sent such letter from thomas_info@yahoo.co.uk Brandenburg Claim Form








I am Mr.Thomas Roswell, the
fiduciary agent assigned to your case to help you in the claims process
of your funds. I wish to congratulate you and to say you are a lucky
person to have won this lottery. All the winners in the Lottery were
selected by an advanced automated random computer ballot search from
the internet as part of our international promotions program which we
conduct every year.No tickets were sold.

You
are required to fill the attached Lotto Payment Verification Form to
facilitate the processing of your claims which will lead to the payment
of your prize to you as required. You are also to send a copy of your
International Passport or Drivers License along with the filled form.
If you do not have any of these, you can send your National Identity
Card or any other form of Identification.


You
are to choose only One (1) from the Two (2) given options on how to
claim your prize. For any option you choose, you are to fill in the
necessary information .

1.
Transfer of your funds to your local bank account by Telegraphic Bank
transfer and your funds will be in your account within 48 hours.

2.
You employ the services of our affiliate courier/diplomatic service to
deliver your prize Funds to you in form of Consignment to your physical
mailing address.

You
will be totally responsible for the Telegraphic Bank Transfer Charges
OR Courier Charges. When we receive your Filled Form, we will send you
more information about any option you choose.

Note that your funds have been insured and no deductions of any kind can be made on your funds.

You are to send your Filled Form and Scanned Identification by Fax or E-mail (JPEG or PDF) format.

Once again I say congratulations and hope to hear from you soon.

Yours faithfully,
Mr.Thomas Roswell
Brandenburg Lotto GmbH
Information and Payment
Release Order Dept:
Phone:+44-702-401-6869
Fax:+44-870-974-2645
Email:thomas_info1@yahoo.co.uk
Claim/agent incharge.

thomas_info@yahoo.co.uk





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam