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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Susan Hasl" <infoclaims@lottery.co.uk>
Reply-To: melclaimsdept002@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:34:20 -0400
Subject: Promo Programme.

P O Box 1010 Dublin, 11 G
Lower Dorset Street
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY36

The UK National Online Lottery This Email is to
inform you that you emerged a winner of
£500,000.00 on our online draws which was
played on the 6th Oct 2008. For further
Information about your Winnings,contact our
Lottery Fiduciary Agent with the following contact Address.
with your full names and draw number(i.e 1088)

1.First Name:
2.Last Name:
3.Your Ref:
4.Address:
5.Country:
6.Telephone:
7.Occupation:
8.Age:

Name: Mr Mel Gimmson.
Email address : mclaimsuk01@info.lt
Sir. Richard K. Lloyd
Co-Ordinator(Online Promo Programme.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam