419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "million united states 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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)
- "u.k " (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.
- +447031822654 (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.
- claimscentrefreelottoofficeuk@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "THE FREELOTTO LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS" <info@freelotto.co.uk>
Reply-To: claimscentrefreelottoofficeuk@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2015 14:46:15 +0600
Subject: Your E-mail Address Has Won The FREELOTTO
Jackpot.....Congratulations!!!

FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED
LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS.
FREELOTTO AFFILIATED OFFICE U.K,
82 VICTORIA STREET VICTORIA LONDON
SW1 U.K
TEL:+447031822654

NOTIFICATION OF WINNING

We are pleased to inform you of the release of the recent results of the
FREELOTTO INTERNATIONAL EMAIL PROMOTION PROGRAM held on the 1st of
September 2015. You were entered as dependent clients
with: Reference Serial Number:F2-003-036 and Batch number FR/45-300-07.
Your email address attached to the ticket number: 54-20-17-52-34-30 that
draw the lucky winning number,which consequently won the
Daily new year Jackpot in the first category,in four parts.You have been
approved for a payment of $2,000,000.00 (Two Million United States
Dollars) in cash credited to file reference number: TFR/9900034943/JPT.

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 co-operate bodies that are listed
online.This
email promotion takes place every month. 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 $2,000,000.00 (Two Million United States Dollars)
would be released to you by our payment office in United Kingdom.Our
Fiduciary 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.

This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and
unwarranted abuse of this program,Please be warned.click on the website
link below to view the photo page of some of our recent lucky winners.
http://www.freelotto.com/winners.asp FreeLotto Winning Draw Results for
28th August, 2015.

$50,000.00: 4-5-34-41-3-37
$200,000.00: 22-43-6-9-28-26
$10,000.00: 12-32-17-14-24-10
$100,000.00 : 2-27-22-47-16-21
Monthly Jackpot $2,000,000.00: 54-20-17-52-34-30
Super Bucks $10,000,000.00 : 37-2-48-41-46- 25-43

To file for your claim, please contact your fiduciary agent immediately
via the email below:
Mr. Williams Ford
(Freelotto Fiduciary Department)
82 Victoria Street

Victoria London SW1 U.K

claimscentrefreelottoofficeuk@gmail.com
claimscentrefreelottoofficeuk@gmail.com

Provide him with these following details with which he will begin the
processing of your winnings.

1.NAME IN FULL:
2.ADDRESS:
3.AGE:
4.PHONE:
5.FAX:
6.SEX:
7.MARITAL STATUS:
8.OCCUPATION:
9.COMPANY NAME/POSITION:
10.COUNTRY:
11.NATIONALITY:
12.EMAIL:

***********************************************************************
The freelotto Internet draw is held every month and is so organized to
encourage the use of the Internet and computer worldwide. We are proud to
say that over 400 millions U.S Dollars are won annually in more than 118
countries Worldwide. Warning!!!: Fraudulent emails are circulating that
appear to be using Free Lotto addresses, but are not from The Free Lotto.

PLEASE REPORT IMMEDIATELY
TO:abuse@freelotto.com

Once again congratulations.

Sincerely,
Kevin J. Aronin
Chairman & CEO Copyright © 1995-2015 The FREELOTTO National
Lottery Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guideline
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NB: You are advised to keep your winning strictly confidential until your
winning is processed and received by you.
This is to avoid double claiming which could lead to disqualification.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam