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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")
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +447552500817
• 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.
  • winnersofbestofthebest@googlemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:02:18 +1000
Subject: Best Of The Best Super lottery

Best Of The Best Super lottery
Best of the Best Headquarters
2 Plato Place,72-74 St Dionis Road,
London,SW6 4TU,UK.
(Customer Services)
Batch Number: Sc -271
Ticket Number :4074813-2482555
Voucher Code : R2G2DK
CONGRATULATION YOU HAVE WON 2,600,000.00GBP We happily announce to you the draw (#1127) of the Best of the Best Lottery International, online Sweepstakes International program held on November 19th 2008.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:4074813-2482555 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: (14) (16)(24)(26)(27)(39) (bonus no.(06), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category I. match 5 plus bonus.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 2,600,000.00GBP (Two Million Six Hundred Thousand Pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/90231108/03.This is from a total cash prize of 31,200,000.00 GBP shared amongst the first Twelve (12) lucky winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus bonus. All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place weekly until the end of the year.(31/12/2008)
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. (5647560054) In view of this, your 2,600,000.00GBP would be released to you by any of our payment Bank in United Kingdom. Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. please you are advised to contact the agent with your winning numbers, this is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.
To claim your prize, please write to Best of the Best Lottery Payment Agent.
Fiduciary Agent
Over Seas Claim Unit
MR. Andrew Gordon
Phone No: +447552500817 (During working Hour)
EMAIL: bestofthebest@live.co.uk
winnersofbestofthebest@googlemail.com

CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE MEMBERS AND STAFF OF BEST OF THE BEST LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
Yours faithfully,
Mr. John Moore
Online coordinator for BEST OF THE BEST LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL Sweepstakes International Program

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam