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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447045772201 (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.
  • revfrjameskirby0072@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Guinness Award <resultsreleased001@msn.com>
Reply-To: <revfrjameskirby0072@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 7 May 2009 05:02:17 +0000
Subject: CONTACT OUR CLAIMS OFFICE...(GUINNESS AWARD PROMOTION 2009)



GUINNESS HOUSE
HOUGHTON STREET, LONDON,
WC2A 2AE, UNITED KINGDOM.
Date: 07-5-2009

Dear Winner,

You are hereby informed on the result of the 2009
draws promotion held on the 29th of March 2009 by GUINNESS
EXTRA STOUT Worldwide Internet Awareness Promotion, your
email was among the seven (7) lucky winners who won GBP (Three
Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds) GBP 300,000 each on
the GUINNESS COMPANY.

However, the results were released 7th of April 2009
and your email was among the lucky winners this year: The
online draws was conducted by a random selection of email
addresses from an exclusive list of 2,500 E-mail addresses
of individuals and co-operate bodies, picked by an advanced
automated random computer search from the internet. However,
no tickets were sold but all email addresses were assigned
to different ticket numbers for representation and privacy.

In other to claim your prize,
which have been deposited in a draft cheque to our regional
paying Bank in West Africa, you will have to fill the form
below and send it to the Promotion Agent of Guinness
Worldwide Internet Awareness promotional Company for
verification and then you will be directed on how you can
claim your won prize as it has already been deposited in
your favor.

Ticket number (GUI45856CS89) ballot number (BN:
6220914657/HBZ-T). Therefore we advise all winners to keep
th is numbers and infor matio n private, till you've won price
has been claimed, any
breach of confidentiality will result
a total disqualification to the beneficiary.

This Promotion is approved by the British Game Board and
also Licensed by the International Association of Gaming
Regulators (IAGR).This lottery is the 3rd of its kind and we
intend to sensitize the public.

You are to keep all your information away from the general
public
especially your ticket number and ballot number. (This is
important as
a case of double claims will not be entertained).

Completely fill the form above and send it immediately to
our claims office through email for prompt collection of
your fund using the contact details below

NAMES:

AGE:

SEX:

MARITAL STATUS:

COUNTRY:

MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:

OCCUPATION:

TICKET NO:

BALLOT NO:

CONTACT OUR CLAIMS AGENT :
Rev.Fr.James Kirby
Email:revfrjameskirby0072@yahoo.co.uk
Phone:+447045772201

NOTE: *Staff of GUINNESS STOUT Company are not to partake in
this promotion
PLEASE BE WARNED*

Accept my hearty congratulations once again!

Yours faithfully,
Prof. Mrs. Kate Dannie
Promotional Manager.
© 2009 Guinness

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam