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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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")
  • "hundred thousand 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)
• 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.
  • bruce_bernard01@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "europe lottery" <europeamericalottery@msn.com>
Reply-To: dave_malvin@yahoomail.com
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 09:46:07 +0000
Subject: EURO-AMERICAN-LOTTERY Headquarters:

EURO-AMERICAN-LOTTERY Headquarters:
Customer Service
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw of the EURO-AMERICAN-LOTTO
Sweepstake Online Lottery International programs held on the (WEDNESDAY 28TH
OF DECEMBER, 2005) in MANCHESTER, UK. Your e-mail address attached to ticket
number: 56475600545188 with Serial number: 5368/02 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$500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited
to file ktu/9023118308/03.

This is from a total cash prize of US $5 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 websites. This promotion takes place
annually, Please note that your lucky winning category # :two(2) falls
within our WEST AFRICA(lagos) booklet representative office in AFRICA from
the five booklet reps.(london,sydney,seoul,lagos,athlanta) as indicated in
your play coupon.In view of this, your US$500,000.00 (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 till 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
Unarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements.Please be
warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:

Miss Bruce_bernard
Email: bruce_bernard01@yahoo.co.uk

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your full
names,your country, your private Telephone and fax number, your
reference/batch numbers etc in any correspondences with us or our designated
agent.Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.
Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,
EURO AMERICAN LOTTERY.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam