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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "overseas claims unit" (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!

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY" <agentwell.payoutdept01@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 05:12:32 +0100
Subject: AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION


*The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM.*
*(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:

Dear Lucky Winner,

RE: BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION.

We are pleased to notify you the draw (1115#) of the **UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,
Online Sweepstakes International Lottery Program held on 25th,June,2008.

Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a
pool of over 25,000 names of distinguished professionals drawn from
Europe,America,Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, parts of Africa,as
part of our international promotions programme conducted annually to
encourage prospective overseas entries.

The result of our computer draw (1115#) selected your name and email address
attached to e-ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew
the lucky numbers: 19.34.22.38.44.49 (54 Bonus Ball),which subsequently won
you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 5 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £800,000.00 (Eight
Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308
/03.*

*This is from a total cash prize of £4,800,000.00 shared amongst the first
Six (6) lucky winners in this category i.e.Match 5 plus bonus.

Please be informed that claims not processed within the stipulated period
may be forfeited to the pool without further notice.

Please contact our Fiduciary Agent for VALIDATION.
**************************************************
Overseas Claims Unit
United Kingdom Lottery Fiduciary
Contact Person: Dr Well Paulson.
Email:claimagentwell_payoutdept@ymail.com*
****************************************************
Fill out the form and send it to the Fiduciary Agent for VALIDATION..
Name Of Winner:______________________________
Age:_________________________________________
Sex__________________________________________
Occupation::_________________________________
Tel No:______________________________________
Fax No:______________________________________
City:________________________________________
State:_______________________________________
Country:_____________________________________
Zip Code:____________________________________

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
At your disposal,
Very Truly Yours,
Notification Officer,
Mrs Scott Voke.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam