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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims 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.
  • c2mark_scott@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Mathew Ikeh" <mathewikeh@msn.com>
Reply-To: mathewike212@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 15:52:26 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS! Dear Lucky winner

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT. (LINDA BROWN
MATHEW)
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD.(AUSTRALIA)
BATCH: EGS/ 22504002/04: REFERENCE: 7458222754
WINNING NO.: XB3/701/LNRC

CONGRATULATIONS!

Dear Lucky winner

We are delighted to inform you of the release of THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PRIZE DRAW, held on the
25th of December 2003, but owing to some mix up of numbers and addresses
and
the holidays, the results were released on the 2ND AUGUST 2005. Your
name was attached to ticket number 085-12876077-09 with serial number
51390-0 that drew the lucky numbers of 03-05-12-14-28-38, which
consequently won the lottery
in the 5th category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of US$2,800.809.00.
(TWO MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED
AND NINE UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY), in cash credited to file with REF:
Nº.EGS/3662367114/13.
This is from a total cash prize of US$70,020.225.00, shared among the (25)
Twenty-five international winners in this category.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Your fund is now deposited with THE Security Company and insured in your
name. Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this
award from public notice until your claim has been processed, and the money
remitted to your account, as this is part of our security protocol, to
avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking of advantage of this program
by participants, as has happened in the past.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
25,000 names, email addresses & official addresses, from Asia, New
Zealand, Europe, North and South America, Middle East and Africa, as part of
our International Promotions Program. We hope your lucky name will draw a
bigger cash prize in the subsequent programs.

This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some
multinational Companies as part of their social responsibility to the
citizens in the communities where they have operational base. Further more,
your details (e-mail address) fall within Our African representative
office in Nigeria, as indicated in your play coupon
and your prize of US$2,800.809.00 will be released to you from this
regional branch office in NIGERIA. To begin your lottery claims, please
contact your Claims Agent,

MR.MARK SCOTT,
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTION AGENT,
EMAIL: c2mark_scott@hotmail.com

Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 30 days. Any claim
not made by this date will be returned to the DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.
And also be informed that 10% of your lottery winning belongs to (the
PROMOTIONS COMPANY). Because they are the company that bought your ticket
and played the lottery in your name. Note also that this 10% will be
remitted after you have received your winnings prize, because the money is
insured in your name already.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences
with us; or your Claim Agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of
address, please do inform your Claim Agent as soon as possible. An
original copy of your lucky winning ticket and your deposit certificate
will be sent to you by your Claim Agent, MR MARK SCOTT.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Once again from all members of our staff and thank you for being a part of
our International Promotions program. We wish you continued good fortunes.


Sincerely,
LINDA BROWN MATHEW(MRS.)
VICE PRESIDENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam