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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  • +447045776657 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: nelson steven <nelsonsteven2005@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: nesteven2@yahoo.de
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2008 19:14:13 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Mr Nelson Steven


Hello,

I am Mr Nelson Steven the fiduciary agent assigned to your case. I wish to Congratulate you on your victory, you are a lucky person to have won this lottery. Your email address was amongst those chosen this quarter from our new java-based software that randomly selects email addresses from the web from which winners are selected. You are required to forward the following details to help facilitate the processing of your claims and certificate which will facilitate the release of your winnings. Your winning price is to the tune of Two Million Euros.

1. Full names.
2. House address
3. Phone number.
4. Fax number.
5. Occupation.
6. Sex.
7. Age.
8. Nationality.

You are advised to forward this information as soon as possible to enable us attend to your winnings. Our firm has been contracted to handle payments on your behalf, once we confirm your information,your payments would be processed. Everything was done in such a way that our payments mode would meet the standards set by the Lottery boards. After you have sent down these information, a certificate will be prepared for you. This is to be your proof of winning from this office to the payment centre before they release
your funds. Be advised that your winnings would be paid to you in Four(4) installments of 500,000.00 Euros {Five Hundred Thousand Euros}. This is done because of the amount won by you. This money would be paid to you on instalmental basis via the Correspondent Bank of the Lottery promoters. Once again, congratulations.

Sincerely,
Mr. Nelson Steven
Contact number +447045776657
Nelson Steven & Associates
50 Broadway
Westminster
London SW1! H OBL
United Kingdom
PRACTICE AREAS:-
Banking / FinanceIntellectual Property
Charities
Litigation/Dispute Resolution
Competition
Private Client
Corporate/Public Employment
Real Estate / Property
Environment
Shipping
Family
Tax


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam