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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million 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)
• 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 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.
  • mrscathy.uklotto@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: mrscathy.uklotto@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:35:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CONTACT OUR FIDUCIARY AGENT!!!


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:lotto_uk2008@yahoo.com.co



- Customer Service Ref: UK/9420X2/68 Batch: 074/05/ZY369 We happily announce to you the draw of the UK-LOTTO Sweepstake Lottery International programs held on Thursday 29th October 2008 LEEDS UNITED-KINGDOM. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 564 75600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 06-10-12-15-20-27-26 which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$854,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty four Thousand United States a total cash prize of US $8,540,000 million dollars, shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners in this category. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies. This promotion takes place annually. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon.In view of this, your US$854,000.00 (Eight hundred andfifty four Thousand United States Dollars) would be released to you by our payment office in europe. Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact her. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid claiming and un warranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent: Mrs Catherine Owen mrscathy.uklotto@gmail.com You can go to our online result site to confirm the value of your winnings and also get a prize breakdown:- http://lottery.co.uk/res/ Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent. VERIFICATION 1.FULL NAMES: 2.ADDRESS: 3.SEX: 4.AGE: 5.MARITAL STATUS: 6.OCCUPATION: 7.E-MAIL ADDRESS: 8.TELEPHONE NUMBER: 9.LOTTO NUMBER: B. DRAW NUMBER: 10.TICKET NUMBER: 11.SERIAL NUMBER: 12.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL: Upon receipt of the duly requested data, I will send you the contact information of the payment office so you can proceed with effecting the release of your cash prize in anyway you deem fit. Warm Regards, Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of thisprogram. Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program Sincerely, Dennis Whites UK-LOTTO COORDINATOR

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam