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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447031820240 (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.
  • michealbrown1976@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Claim Agent: Mr.Micheal Brown" <gmariam29@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:36:35 +0100
Subject: MICROSOFT ONLINE LOTTERY DRAW,


MICROSOFT ONLINE LOTTERY DRAW
HEAD OFFICE; <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">EAST WEST ROAD</st1:address></st1:Street> , KESINGTON. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">LONDON</st1:place></st1:City> . UNITED KINGDON.

Attention Winner,

Today your e-mail id was selected through the computer ballot system, as a winner of our Microsoft online lottery program which was held today being 1th of JAN 2009 in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City> .

You have to contact your claim agent for your payment process and include your personal information for smooth transaction.

Claim Agent: Mr.Micheal Brown [mailto:michealbrown1976@yahoo.com]
Email: michealbrown1976@yahoo.com [mailto:michealbrown1976@yahoo.com]
Tel/fax: + 44 7031820240

For verification purpose, Forward to him your claim details below;

(1) Your mailing address:……………………………………………...

(2) Your Tel ( <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mobile</st1:place></st1:City> ):…………………………………………………..

(3) Your Nationality/Country;………………………………………….

{4} Your Full Names:……………………………………………………

{5} Your Occupation;………………………………………………….

{6} Your Age;…………………………………………………………...

(I) winning numbers: 11 13 26 34 44 48
(ii) Email ticket number: 275-189-657-23-05
(iii) Lotto code number: FL8756-05SA
(IV) the file Ref number: FL/04/736207152/SA
(v)Amount Won: US$ 500 000 00 (Five hundred thousand Unites states Dollars).

You have to contact him not later than three working days from the day you get our notification.

One more time congratulations.
Regards,
Smith Rueben.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam