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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million pounds" (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.
  • +447031860697 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448704798498 (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.
  • metropolitanlottery@london.com
  • clive_newman001@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: uk.lott.201@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:55:06 +0200
Subject: FROM LOTTERY AWARDS COMMITTEE LONDON

LONDON METROPILTAN LOTTERY BOARD
(LOTTERY AWARDS COMMITTEE)
1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 703 186 0697 Fax: +44 870 479 8498
Email: metropolitanlottery@london.com 22/07/2008


Sir/Madam,

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION TO THE TUNE OF ONE MILLION POUNDS STERLINGS (£I, 000,000.00)


REFERENCE Nº: EGS/2251256003/03
BATCH Nº: 14/0017/1PD

We wishes to inform you the results of the E-mail address ballot lottery program by the above Lottery board in conjunction with apple technologies Inc held on 20 Junel 2008. Your email account was selected as a winner of One Million Pounds Only (£1000, 000.00). This program is being sponsored by the London metropolitan council in conjunction with apple technologies Inc to encourage the use of internet and as well attract foreign tourist in promoting London bid to host the Olympics Games in 2012.
This result is now made available to you and your email address attached to Ticket # 044595 in the Category A bonus ball 10, 18, 22, 35, 28, 35, and bonus ball 43. Participants were selected through a computerized ballot system drawn from company and individual email addresses users.

We advice that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. For the release of your winnings, kindly contact your claims agent Mr. Clive Newman on Tel: +44 703 186 0697 Fax: +44 870 471 2317 Email: clive_newman001@yahoo.co.uk with the following details to expedite the processing of your prize winning.

1. Full name and address
2. Country of Residence
3. Tel and fax number
4. Occupation

Your Claim agent mentioned above will direct on what is required of you in order to receive your winnings through our paying bank. All winning must be claimed not later than two weeks from the date of receipt of this email. After this date all prize-winning will treated as Unclaimed.

Note in order to avoid unnecessary delays; remember to quote your Reference and Batch numbers in all correspondence.

Congratulations
for emerging the lucky winner from all our staff.
Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Grace Kelley
(Information and Promotion Manager)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam