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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447045702423 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: FIDELITY GRANT FORUM <celadna@iol.cz>
Reply-To: drakes_fidelity@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:15:24 GMT
Subject: Reply....To Fidelity Grant Forum asap to get 500,000.00 GBP




Fidelity Investment FORUM
25 Cannon Street=2C
London EC 4M 5T A
Contact=3A Barr Michael Drakes
Tel=3A +44 70457 02423
Email drakes=5Ffidelity=40hotmail=2Ecom

Dear Email User=2C
We are delighted to inform you that your EMAIL ID
attached to Grant online comfirmation on ERUYST with Serial number NBUK0=
5 You have therefore been
approved for a lump sum claim of Five Hundred
Thousand pounds(=A3500=2E000=2E00) in cash credited to you as the recipi=
ent to this grant funds=2EFor more informations about your Grant and cla=
im of funds=2C contact your claim chambers with the below PAYMENT PROCES=
SING FORM filled by you=2E
-------------------------
Contact Michael Drakes Esq
Email=3A drakes=5Ffidelity=40hotmail=2Ecom
Tel=3A +44 70457 02423
-------------------------
PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM
1) MR=2E/MS=2E =3A
2) Family Name (Last Name/Surname)=3A
3) Given Name (First Name/Additional Names)=3A
4) Country of Birth=3A
5) Country of Citizenship=3A
6) Complete mailing address=3A
7) City/State=3A
8) Telephone Number=3A

Please do not reply to this mail=2C Contact your claim agent with this
email=2E=2E=2E=2E drakes=5Ffidelity=40hotmail=2Ecom

Yours Sincerely=2C
Anton brooks
Online co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam