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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary 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.
  • +447031954885 (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.
  • agentpamelasmith@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY" <enquiry_uknationallotto2005@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 10:52:40 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!!

British National Lottery Headquarters:
Customer Service
P O Box 1010,
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM

Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
Tel: +447031954885

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are happy to inform you that you have won drawing #992 of the UK
National
Lottery, online Sweepstakes International programs held on
Saturday 25th JUNE, 2005.

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 564 75600545-188
with serial number 5388/02 drew
the lucky numbers:15-23-27-38-44-49 (bonus no.34),which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total
sum of £100,983 (one hundred thousand,nine hundred
and eighty-three pounds sterling) in cash credited to file
KTU/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize
of £1,817,694 shared amongst the eighteen (18) lucky
winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus! bonus.

All participants for the online version were selected randomly from
World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted
from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that
are listed online. This promotion takes place weekly.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet
representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of
this, your £100,983 (one hundred thousand,nine hundred and eighty-three
pounds sterling) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in
Europe.
Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your funds as soon as you make contact.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in
whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part! of our
precautionary measure
to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.
Please be warned. To file for your claim, contact
our fiduciary agent with the details below;

AGENT: Mrs. Pamela smith
Email:agentpamelasmith@yahoo.co.uk
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences
with us or our designated agent. Congratulations once more.

Yours Faithfully,
Richard K. Lloyd.
Online Co-ordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,
Sweepstakes International Program
NATIONAL LOTTERY


Note: Anybody under the age of 16 years is automatically
disqualified


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam