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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary 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 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.
  • uklotto556@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY" <uk_lottoinfo@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 00:35:20 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

UK-LOTTO HEADQUARTERS:
45 ELMDENE RD WOOLICH,
SE 16 TZ,UNITED-KINGDOM.
10-09-2005
Customer Service
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw(05/1010) of the UK-LOTTO Sweepstake
Lottery International programs held on the 4TH OF OCTOBER, 2005 in LEEDS
UNITED-KINGDOM.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545 188
with Serial number5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:19-6-26-17-35-7,which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$2,500,000.00
(Two million,Five Hundred Thousand united states Dollars) in cash credited
to file ktu/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of US $ 25 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$2,500,000.00 (Two
million,Five Hundred 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 him.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential until 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 double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this
program by some unscrupulous elements.
Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
DUKE MARK
Email:uklotto556@yahoo.co.uk
With the following information:
FULL NAME:.............................
FULL ADDRESS:..........................
OCCUPATION:............................
SEX:..........................
MARITAL STATUS:........................
AGE:...................................
NATIONALITY:...........................
AMOUNT WON:............................
BATCH NO:..............................
WINNING NO:............................
TICKET NO:.............................
WINNING DRAW:..........................
PHONE NUMBER[LAND/MOBILE]:..............
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated
agent.
Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program.
Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,
Dr Tom Brown
Online coordinator
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam