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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
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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:
  • "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 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.
  • +448501213851
• 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.
  • haroldstuart1@cooperation.net

Fraud email example:

From: "Swiss Lotto Lottery" <swisslottolottery@msn.com>
Reply-To: haroldstuart@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 23:49:42 +0000
Subject: Annual winning promo(Swiss Lotto Lottery)

Swiss Lotto Lottery
Headquarters:
Bijimerplein 886/1104 HW
BERN.Switzerland.

Ref: No:UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY36

NOTIFICATION OF WINNING

It is my sincere pleasure to announce to you the result of the draw of
theSwiss Lotto Lottery  program
held on the31st of September 2005 in Swiss, Switzerland.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 5232465504 with Serial
number Z87968DX drew the lucky numbers: 21-231-111-021, which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £114,579.00
(One hundred and fourteen thousand five hundred and seventy nine Great Britain Pounds) in cash,
credited to file with reference number SWLL/4080318306/04.
 This is from a total cash prize of £1.4 Million,
shared amongst the first four (4) lucky winners in this category.
 Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Western
booklet representative office in Switzerland as indicated in your play
coupon. In view of this, your  £114,579.00
(One hundred and fourteen thousand five hundred and seventy nine Great Britain Pounds) 
would be released to you by the paying Bank.
 Our Western agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your funds as soon as you contact him.
All participants were selected randomly from the World Wide Web through
a computer draw system using e-mail addresses obtained from our
affiliate companies. This promotion takes place annually.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims are processed and your money remitted to
you in whatever manner you deem it 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:
Mr. Harold Stuart
The SWLL Trust
Email: haroldstuart1@cooperation.net
Fax: +44-8501213851
Provide him with the information below:
1.Name:
2.Address:
3.MaritalStatus:
4.Occupation:
5.Age:
6.Sex:
7.Nationality:
8.Country Of Residence:
9.Telephone Number:
10.Fax Number:

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondence with our designated agent or us.
Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program.
Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
Sincerely,

Mark Vinchino
SWLL  Zonal Coordinator.

-------------------------------------------
SWLL  OFFICE HOURS
Sunday through Saturday
24HOURS

 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam