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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "transfer of your funds" (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.
  • +447045740187 (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.
  • citilondon11@hotmail.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:00:25 +0100
Subject:



YOU HAVE NOW BEEN REPORTED TO THE INTERNET SCAM POLICE AT 419@419scam.org DO NOT EVER SEND ME AN EMAIL AGAIN.
From: luissantiago37@hotmail.comSubject: CONTACT THE PAYMENT BANKþþþþþþþþþþþþþþþþþDate: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:57:07 +0100


Dear winner, Claims Processed On Behalf Of WINNER Congratulations on emerging as one our weekly award winners UK NATIONAL LOTTERY offers awards to Lucky owners of selected emails that came out in our Random Draws. You have therefore been approved to go ahead and claim your funds which amounts to 1,000, 000.00 (One million great british pounds sterling). Please, contact our payment bank responsible for the transfer of your funds to you. To contact them, please make use of the following contact details: Contact Paying Bank: Citi Bank London. Name: Kevin KessingerDirect Tel: +44 704 574 0187 Direct Fax: +44 707 505 5820Email: citilondon11@hotmail.co.uk Along with this, you are requested to fill the form below with a little information and forward it to the bank for immediate funds transfer: Your Name: Address: Amount Won: Your Phone Number: Warm regards,Dr Luis Santiago.Uk National Lottery Claims Agent.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam