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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:
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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:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • mr_river_bensons@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: infobxx199@comcast.net
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:59:07 +0000
Subject: New Winner


The National Lottery
PO Box 1010
Liverpool L70 1NL

FROM: THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRICE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
REF Nº: EGS/2251256003/02
BATCH Nº:14/0017/1PD
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL NOTICE

National U.K Lottery wishes to inform you the results of the
E-mailaddressballot lottery international program by Great Britain Youremail
account have been picked as a winner of £480,152.00

This results is now released your email address attached to Draw1034
Nov 2007 Jackpot 04-09-10-19-24-37 Bonus ball 28participants were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn from Microsoft users from
company and individual email addresses
users.

Be advice to keep your winning information confidential until your
claims hasbeen processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of
our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of
this program,For the release of your winning.

All winning must be claimed not later than One Week of
Acknowledgment.
After this date all unclaimed funds will be returned to European Union
Treasury as Unclaimed. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays
and complications please remember to quote your reference numberin all
correspondence.
You are therefore advised to give the following information's to your
claims agent listed bellow,

Mr River Benson
Email:mr_river_bensons@yahoo.co.uk

Programs & Events Department

*IMPORTANT* FILL OUT THIS WINNERS VERIFICATION FORM BELOW:

Hence, carefully fill in the appropriate information in the space
provided below for record purposes to facilitate our immediate
commencement of your claims process. The completed form should be
sent to your claims agent for immediate commencement of prize
remittance.

*Name of Beneficiary:
*Address:
*City/State:
*Nationality:
*Sex:
*Email Address:
*Tel:
*Occupation:
*Next of Kin:
*Age:
*AMOUNT WON:
*In Figures:
*In Words:
*Lucky Nos:
*Ticket No:

Attach a scanned copy of either your driver's linece or international
passport for identification purpose after proper verification and
processing of your winnings has been carried out.


Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you
for
being part of our promotional program.


Yours Sincerely,
Mrs.Julie Van Hans

--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam