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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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 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.
  • tom_steve11@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • frankobi1966@indiatimes.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Frank Obi" <frankobi3@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: frankobi1966@indiatimes.com
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:10:43 +0100
Subject: DID YOU GET MAY LETTER?


Dear Friend,

Due to your effort, sincerity, courage and trust worthiness you showed at
the course of the Uk Online Lotto winning cheque shipment to your location,
I want to compensate you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of
$1,500,000USD (One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) I
have authorized the finance house where I deposited the money to issue you
international ct cashable at your bank.

My dear winner, I will like you to contact the CEO in charge of the finance
house for the collection of this international certify bank draft.

The name of the Person with your Cheque is Mr.Tom Steve
COMPENSATION AND FINANCE HOUSE HEAD OFFICE
CONTACT AGENT: Mr Tom Steve
EMAIL: tom_steve11@hotmail.com


At the moment, I am very busy in Sydney because of the investment projects
which myself and my new partner Mr.Peter Hills of CTL EXPORTING COMPANY is
having at hand. Finally, remember that I have forwarded instruction to
Mr.Tom Steve at the finance house on your behalf to send the bank draft to
you as soon as you contact him without delay.
Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is from
the bottom of my heart.
Thanks and God bless you and your family.
My sincere advice to you as a Christian is that you should endeavor to pay
your tithe to a bible believing church when you get the money because I
noticed it as a fiduciary agent that you were skeptical about your winnings
when you were been ask by the Uk lotto Agency Inc to file out a claim for
your prize. And now the current policy of the Lotto organizer is that if an
emerged winner fails to claim up his/her winning cheque of $1,500,000 it's
now mandatory that this fund can be remitted or forfeited to the fiduciary
agent in charge of this winners file.

However, I want you to contact him immediately as soon as you receive this
information because he is leaving for the US by the end of this month and
this might cost a delay payment for you to receive this draft.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr Frank Obi
frankobi1966@indiatimes.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam