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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:

• 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.
  • +447011135937 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Chaid, Gail" <ChaidG@esuhsd.org>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 17:23:23 -0700
Subject: Contact Fred Martin For Claims

The Camelot Group Operators of The National Lottery.
3b Olympic Way Sefton Business Park,
Aintree Liverpool, L30 1RD.

Dear Winner,

The United Kingdom National Lottery wishes to inform you that the results of the E-mail address ballot lottery international program held by Great Britian on 30th August, 2008. Your email account has been picked as a winner of a lump sum pay out of £ 891,934.00 Pounds Sterling in cash credited to file Ref Nº.: UKL/74-A0802742008.

To begin processing of your prize contact:
Mr. Fred Martin
Email: remittancedesk@msn.com
Telephone: +447011135937

Contact him with your winning details: Ref Nº.: UKL/74-A0802742008, Ticket Nº.:22-1356-4096-988, Serial Nº.: A069- 07, Lucky Nº.: 2-14-27-31-36-34 Bonus-48, Batch Nº.: 2007UKL-01.

Fill Out This Winners Verification And Funds Release Form Below;
1. Full Names:___ 2. Sex:___ 3. Age:____ 4. Residential Address:___ 5.Tel/Fax:___ 6. Occupation:___

Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotion program.

Sincerely,
Dianne Thompson
Online Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam