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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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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447031914592 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY <kadlec.plyn@iol.cz>
Reply-To: claimsagent_williampage@verizon.net
Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:59:36 GMT
Subject: Ref: :UK/NDU/9023118308/03





BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS=3A
28 TAN FIELD ROAD=2C
CROYDON=2C
LONDON=2E

Ref=3A =3AUK/NDU/9023118308/03
Batch=3A 074/05/ZY369
=

WINNING NOTIFICATION LETTER =

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded draw (=23=
1187) of the =

BRITISH LOTTERY online Sweepstakes International program held on the 4th=
September=2C =

2008=2E Your e-mail address attached to ticket number=3A 56475600545 188=
with Serial =

number 5368/08 drew the lucky numbers=3A01-14-21-3-35-49=2C and a bonus=
number of 24 =

which subsequently won you the lottery in the second category=2E
=

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of =A3590=2C983=2E=
00 (Five Hundred =

and Ninety Thousand Nine Hundred and eighty Three Great British Pounds) =
in cash =

credited to file Number=3AKTU/9023118308/03=2E

To file for claim=2C Please contact our claims agent=3A

Mr=2E WILLIAM PAGE
CLAIMS DEPARTMENT
The UKNL Foundation

Email=3A claimsagent=5Fwilliampage=40verizon=2Enet

Tel=3A+44 703 191 4592

You are required to provide the following information for verification p=
urposes=3A

1=2EFull Name=3A
2=2EFull Contact Address=3A
3=2ESex=3A
4=2EAge=3A
5=2EOccupation=3A
6=2ETel (Home/Office/Mobile)=3A
7=2ECountry of residence=3A

You are to keep all your winning information away from the general publi=
c
especially your ticket number and Serial number=2E (This is important as=
cases
of double claims will not be entertained)=2E

Congratulations from me and members of staff of THE BRITISH LOTTERY=2E

Yours faithfully=2C
Mark Dulle
Online Coordinator for THE BRITISH LOTTERY Sweepstakes International Pro=
gram=2E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam