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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:

• 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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",000,000" (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.
  • +447024085641 (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.
  • paul_leo@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Paul leo <lot_prices2008@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:30:43 -0500
Subject: DEAR WINNER



THE 6 BALL GAMES LOTTERYLONDON OFFICE233-5 AMITHY GROVE LONDON, SW200LL.UNITED KINGDOM DEAR WINNER,We are please to announce you as one of the 3 lucky winners in the 6 BALLGAMES LOTTERY draw held on 4th of Jan 2008. All 3 winning addresses were randomlyselected from a batch of 5,000,000 international emails. Your email addressemerged alongside 2 others as a 3rd category winner in this month's draw.Consequently,you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of £250,000,Pounds (Two hundred and fifty thousand pound) only. The following particulars are attachedto your lotto payment order:(i) Winning numbers: 05,11,25,31,59 62(ii) Serial number: 71-2-5166(iii) Lotto batch number: 6BG-110(iv) Reference number: WH-904-9Please contact the underlisted claims officer as soon as possible for theimmediate release of your winnings:MR PAUL LEOClaims Department ManagerWILSON & HENRY FINANCIAL FIRMEmail:paul_leo@myway.com Once again on behalf of all our staff, CONGRATULATIONS!!!Sincerely,Mr. Philip ChurchillPromotions ManagerTel: +44 702 408 5641N.B:1.All claims are nullified after 10 working days from date of mail notification.2.Your Ref number must be in all your mails with the claims officer.3.Do inform the claims officer of any change of names or addresses.4.All winners under the age of 18 are automatically dis-qualified.5.Please do not reply to this email, contact your claims agent. (MR NORMAN KING).
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam