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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• 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:

• 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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  • woodgate_allan@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY" <drawsunitc3@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 02:39:14 -0800
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WON $400,000.00USD


ATTENTION:BENEFICIARY

==============================================

We are pleased to inform you about the Lottery Draw held on the 30th of MAY
2008 from the Australian National Lottery programme.You have been approved a
lump sum pay of US$400,000.00 (FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) in cash credit
file .All winnings MUST be claimed before the 30th of June. 2008. This is to
inform You that your e-mail has been emerged as a winner For further
information and claim, contact your claims agent (MR. WOODGATE ALLAN) for
the release of your $400,000 USD with the below email address and quote
these numbers below for him to file your claim.


================================================
Ref:? 575061725
Batch:8056490902/188 cash credit file
Ref: ILP/HW 46704/08.


================================================



Full Name................Phone No.................

Country..................Address..................

sex......................Occupation...............



MR. WOODGATE ALLAN (CLAIMS OFFICE)
Email: woodgate_allan@yahoo.co.uk


Best Regards.
Ms. Linna Martins
(Information Minister)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam