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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim 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.
  • fwilliams@123mail.cl
  • frank_will45@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: agnes scott <loto_int_uk@123mail.cl>
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 21:42:40 +0700
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

LOTTO INTERNATIONAL 55 KENT STREET, LONDON UNITED KINGDOM W2D 7JP WINNING NOTIFICATION This is to inform you of the release of LOTTO INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PRIZE DRAW, held on the 16th of august 2006 which you have been named as one of the lucky winners. We have not been able to release the results owing to some mix up of numbers and addresses and we are happy that the results has been released today. Your email was attached to ticket number 085-12876077-09 with serial number 51390-0 that drew the lucky numbers of 03-05-12-14-38, which consequently won the lottery in the 5th category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of GBP1,000,000.00. (ONE MILLION UNITED KINGDOM POUNDS STERLING ONLY), credited to file with REF: º.EGS/3662367114/13. This is from a total cash prize of$80,020.225.00, shared among the (25) twenty-five international winners in this category. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your prize payment is ready for collection at the bank and has been insured in your name. Due to security reasons orchestrated by the recent experience that we had, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed, and your payment completed. Your email address [email stake] was selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names, email addresses & official addresses, from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South America, Middle East and Africa, as part of our International Promotions Program in commemoration of our 10th year anniversary. We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the subsequent programs. To begin your claim, kindly contact your Claim Agent, MR FRANK WILLIAMS CUSTOMER SERVICES MANAGER LOTTO INTERNATIONAL, 55 KENT STREET LONDON EMAIL: fwilliams@123mail.cl OR frank_will45@yahoo.co.uk Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than two weeks from the day of receipt of your notification. 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 on your behalf with your email address. Note also that this 10% will be remitted after you have received your winnings prize,because the money is insured in your name already. 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, Agnes Scott VICE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam