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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:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (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)
  • "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.
  • +447035903221 (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.
  • mr.mason147@strompost.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: bddd.3@comcast.net (Colchester International)
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:12:08 +0000
Subject: Congratulations! Your E-mail Has Won 1,000,000:00 EUR... Contact Your Claims' Agent.

Colchester International Lottery
Head Office,
Management and Central Services:
Colchester House.
18/20BH Parkington Park Lane,
Manchester, United Kingdom.


Reference Number: CL/CIL-23/07-OHG
Batch Number: CL/07- CIL/9907

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded annual final draws of the Colchester International Lottery Program.

Colchester International Lottery draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 25,000,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked 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.

After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address attached to serial number 07-9907 drew the lucky numbers 9-11-25-30-38-46 which consequently emerged you as one of first fifty (50) lucky winners in this category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of €1,000,000.00 (One Million EURO) in cash credited to file CL/CIL-23/07-OHG. This is from a total cash prize of €50 Million Euro shared amongst the first fifty (50) lucky winners in this category.

To begin your claim please contact our licensed and accredited agent assigned to you:

Mr. Mason Bridge
Colchester International Lottery
Lotto Payment Release Order Dept:
Funds Release Office.
Phone: +44-703-590-3221
+44-703-590-3213
Fax: +44-709-289-3345.
E-mail: mr.mason147@strompost.com

In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please endeavor to quote your Reference Number: CL/CIL-23/07-OHG and Batch numbers: CL/07- CIL/9907 in every correspondence with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thanks for being part of our promotions program.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Doris Miller
Promotions Manager.
Colchester International Lottery

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam