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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims 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 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.
  • +447031917364 (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.
  • diamondheightfinance@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "elizeberth owen" <christallotteryinternationaluk@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 03 Oct 2005 11:49:57 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

CHRISTAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL LONDON-UK
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF:WB/ML/16-ED2751145 AND BATCH NO:56/1477/LZN

ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM.,
RE/AWARD NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today 3RD, OF OCTOBER
2005,of winners of CHRISTAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL LONDON-UK PROGRAMS held on
the 20TH OF DECEMBER 2004 as part of our LAST QUARTER of the year
bonanza.You or your company,attached to ticket number 034-1416-4612-750,with
serial number 6521-11 drew the lucky numbers 31-51-22-24-39-43,and
consequently won the lottery in category B.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of POUNDS 2,500,000
in cash credited to file WB/ML/16-ED2751145 This is from total prize money
of POUNDS 12,500,000.00 shared among 5 winners in this category. All
participants were selected through a computer balloting system drawn from
96,000 names from Middle East,Asia,Africa, Canada, Europe and North America
and Oceania as part our International Promotions Program,which is conducted
annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your fund is now deposited with BRINE BANK,a security House 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 your account. 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 your prize, you will participate in our end of year
high stakes US$1.3 billion International Lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent;

MR GORDON MACATHY
DIAMOND HEIGHT FINANCE,
ELECTRON HOUSE
43,LONDON ROAD
REIGATE,SURREY RH2 9PW
UNITED KINDOM
TEL:+44-7031917364
FAX:44-7092865948
Email Address:diamondheightfinance@yahoo.co.uk

for due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice.Remember, you must contact your claims agent not
later than 15TH OF OCTOMBER,2005.After this date, all funds will be returned
as unclaimed.All correspondences to MR.DENNISE BROWN, either by fax or
email,should have this EMAIL sent along with it and also, your FULL ADDRESS,
YOUR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE and your EMAIL ADDRESS to which this
email is sent, should be clearly and BOLDLY WRITTEN IN YOUR RESPONSE with
your claims agent.

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. Furthermore, 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.

Sincerely,
Elizeberth Owen.
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
CHRISTAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL LONDON-UK.

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to
disqualification. Please do not reply to this mail. Contact your claims
agent.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam