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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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.
  • lottopromoters@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "The Lotto promoters" <d_higgs@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 19:09:37 -0500
Subject: Hi!

Hi,

Reference Number: SKL/Millionenformel/05/1288
Batch: SKL/25/8787
28/12/2005

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the UK Lottery Programme.
Your Email address attached to ticket number 0836391 with serial number
25-8787 drew the lucky numbers 4-18-24-30-31-35 which consequently won the
lottery in the 1st category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of £1,000,000.00
(One Million GBP) in cash credited to file SKL/Millionenformel/05/1288. This
is from a total cash prize of £50 Million Euros shared amongst the first
fifty (50) lucky winners in this category. All participants were selected
through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names and email addresses
from all continent of the world as part of our international promotions
program which we conduct twice every year.

Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we advice that you keep this
award from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money
remitted to your nominated bank account as this is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this
program by the general public.

Your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative
office in London. In view of this, your £1,000,000.00 (One Million Euros)
would be released to you by our affiliate bank in Europe. Our agent will
immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds to
you as soon as you make contact with him.

To begin your claim please contact your claims agent:

Andrew Muller
Foreign Services Manager,Payment and Release Order Dept.
E-mail: lottopromoters@netscape.net

Your claims agent will assist you in the processing and remittance of your
prize funds into your designated bank account.

Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later than One month. In
order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please endeavor to
quote your Reference Number:SKL/Millionenformel/05/1288 and Batch
numbers:SKL/25/8787 in every correspondence with your agent. Furthermore,
should there be any change in your address, do inform your claims agent as
soon as possible.

Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thanks for
being part of our promotions program.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Violletta Kclose.
Promotions Manager.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam