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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • global_sfc_uk1@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "STELLA MORISS (MRS.)" <mrs_st2000@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: global_sfc_uk1@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 11:18:44 +0100
Subject: MORISS (MRS.)

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD.
(LONDON) UNITED KINGDOM.
BATCH: EGS/ 22504002/04: REFERENCE: 15/0018/IPD
ATTENTION: CONGRATULATIONS!
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION.
This is to inform you of the release of THE NATIONAL
LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PRIZE DRAW, held on the
25th of April 2004, but owing to some mix up of numbers
and addresses and the holidays, the results were released
on the 29TH April 2005.
Your name was attached to ticket number 085-12876077-09
with serial number 51390-0 that drew the lucky numbers of
03-05-12-14-28-38, which consequently won the lottery in
the 5th category. You have therefore been approved for a
lump sum pay of #2,800.809.00. (TWO MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED
THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINE BRITISH POUNDS ONLY), in
cash credited to file with REF: NB:.EGS/3662367114/13.
This
is from a total cash prize of #70,020.225.00, shared among
the (25) twenty-five international winners in this
category.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Your fund is now deposited with our Security Company and
insured in your name. Due to mix up of some numbers and
names, we ask that you keep this award from public notice
until your claim has been processed, and the money
remitted
to your account, as this is part of our security protocol,
to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking of
advantage of this program by participants, as has happened
in the past.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot
system drawn from 25,000 names, email addresses & official
addresses, from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe,
North
and South America, Middle East and Africa, as part of our
International Promotions Program.
We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in
the subsequent
programs. To begin your lottery claims, please contact
your
Claims Agent,
MR.KINGSLEY BENSON
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER,
GLOBAL SECURITY & FINANCE COMPANY UK,
EMAIL:global_sfc_uk1@yahoo.co.uk
Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than
31st October 2005.Any claim not made by this date will be
returned to the DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. And also be
informed that 10% of your lottery winning belongs to (the
PROMOTIONS COMPANY). Because they are the company that
bought your ticket and played the lottery in your name.
Note also that this 10% will be remitted after you have
received your winnings prize, because the money is insured
in your name already.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications, please remember to quote your reference and
batch numbers in all correspondences with us; or your
Claim
Agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of address,
please do inform your Claim Agent as soon as possible. An
original copy of your lucky winning ticket and your
deposit
certificate will be sent to you by your Claim Agent,
MR.KINGSLEY BENSON.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Once again from all members of our staff we thank you for
being a part of our International Promotions program. We
wish you continue good fortunes.
Sincerely,
STELLA MORISS (MRS.)
VICE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam