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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447045702231 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • prlt01@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • vingilbert_07@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: prlt01@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:26:35 -1200
Subject: PRIME LOTTERY WINNER 2008...CONTACT CLAIMS AGENT!!



INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
10 CAMELOT CLOSE THAMESMEAD LONDON E28 0ES UK
REF:XYL /26510460037/05
BATCH:24/00319/IPD

ATTENTION:WINNER,

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of
today,20Th July,2008 of winners of the GRAND PRIME WINNING
LOTTERY PROMO,THE UNITED KINGDOM/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held
on 19th July,2008.Your e-mail address is attached to ticket
number 023-1111-790-459, with serial number
5073-10 drew the lucky numbers 43-10-42-37-10-43,and
consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.You have
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay
out of Six Hundred And Fifty Thousand(£650,000.00)Pound
Sterlings Only in cash credited
to file REF: XYL/26510460037/05. This is from total prize
money of £11,050,000 Pound Sterlings
Only,shared among the seventeen international winners
in this category.All participants were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
25,000,000 e-mail Addresses from Australia,New
Zealand,Middle East,America,Europe,North/South
America,African
and Asia as part of International Promotions Program,
which is conducted annually.

Furthermore,Your fund is now deposited with a Security
Company in U.K insured in your name.Due to the mix up of
some numbers and names,we ask that you keep this award
strictly from public notice until your claim has been
processed and your money remitted to you.This is part of our
security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous
acts by participants of this program.We hope with a part of
you prize,you will participate in our end of year high
stakes £8,5 million Pound Sterlings International
Lottery.To begin your claim,please contact our
International claim agent;

Mr.Vincent Gilbert
PRIME WINNING LOTTERY BOARD
Tel:+44 704 570 2231
United Kingdom
Email:prlt01@hotmail.com
Cc:vingilbert_07@myway.com


You are also required to forward the following details to
your prize processing officer.
(1). NAME IN FULL: (2). ADDRESS: (3). NATIONALITY:(4).
AGE: ( 5). OCCUPATION: (6). PHONE/FAX:( 7). PRESENT
LOCATION:(8)INDICATE PREFERRED MODE OF
FUND TRANSFER/DELIVERY-(A) BANK TRANFER TO YOUR
ACCOUNT(Details of the account where you want your funds
transferred) (B) COURIER DELIVERY TO YOUR PREFERRED ADDRESS.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications,please remember to quote your reference and
batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with your
agent.Moreover, should there be any change of your
address,do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.


Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for
being part of our promotions program.


Yours faithfully,
Sharon Bob(Mrs)
Online coordinator for THE PRIME WINNING LOTTERY BOARD
Sweepstakes Bonus International Program.
-------------------------------------------
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MAIL ADDRESS !!! CONTACT OUR FIDUCIARY
AGENT TO FILE FOR YOUR CLAIM.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam