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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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")
  • "foreign service manager" (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)
  • "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +447031896182 (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.
  • richardpetersonuk@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:53:41 +0200
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?We_happily_announce_to_you_the_draw_(#974)?=


THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
TOLPITS LANE, WATFORD
HERTS WD18 9RN
UNITED KINGDOM
http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

Attn: Sir/Madam,

We happily announce to you the draw (#974) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held today 29th day of October 2008. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 03-18-25-29-31-43(bonus no.) which subsequently you won the lottery in the first category i.e match 6 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$1,500,000 (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03. Your fund is now deposited with a Finance company insured to your name. Due to mixed up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award top secret from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants.

All participants’ names/e-mail addresses were selected through computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East and North America as part of our International Promotion Program which we conduct twice every year. To begin your claims, please contact your claims agent;

Mr. Richard peterson (Foreign Service manager)
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
Tel/Fax +447031896182, 7031896183, 7031896184, 7031896185,
Email: richardpetersonuk@gmail.com

Confirming to him; the underlisted informations:
1. Your full name
2. Your contact address
3. Your telephone and fax numbers
4. You occupation
5. Your age

These informations will be for documentation and for the processing of the payment of your prize money to you.

Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 180days from the date of the Draw. After this date, all funds will be returned by our payee bankers, to the Ministry of Economy as unclaimed, which would be used for the next lottery draw.

NOTE: in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, remember to quote your reference and batch number in every of your correspondence with us or our payee bank. Furthermore should there be any change of Address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for being part of our promo program.

Yours Sincerely.

Mrs.Olivia Malik
(PROMOTIONS MANAGER).
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
AWARD DEPARTMENT,
CAMELOT GROUP PLC


---------------------- ALICE N°1 de la RELATION CLIENT 2008*--------------------
Découvrez vite l'offre exclusive ALICE BOX! En cliquant ici http://abonnement.aliceadsl.fr Offre soumise à conditions.*Source : TNS SOFRES / BEARING POINT. Secteur Fournisseur d.Accès Internet

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam