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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 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.
  • @excite.com

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY" <info@uknationalonlineworld.net>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 09:02:37 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION/ PROCESSING ADVISE

The National Lottery P O Box 1010 Liverpool, L70 1NL UNITED KINGDOM (Customer Services) Ref: UK/9420X2/68 Batch: 074/05/ZY369 Website:http://www.lottery.co.uk Results:http://www.lottery.co.uk/res/Default.asp  WINNING NOTIFICATION/ PROCESSING ADVISE We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on saturday october 1st 2005. Your name attached to a ticket number 56475600545 188 with serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers, which consequently won the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of £870,000 (eight hundred and seventy thousand pounds sterling) in cash credited to the file reference number: UKLT/245512568021/05. This is from a total cash price of £2,610,000  shared amongst the three(3) lucky winners in this category. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we advice that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by the general public. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from  an on-line web wide correlation of E-MAIL address names  all over the world as part of our international promotions program which we conduct once every year. To file out your claim please contact our fiduciary agent: Contact Person: Mr JEFF WHITE Email: jeff-white-kell@excite.com Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later than 29TH OF october,2005 LAST COLLECTION DATE. After this date all funds will be returned to our treasury as unclaimed. You are adviced to quote your ticket and lucky numbers to our fiduciary agent in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications. . Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform our fiduciary agent as soon as possible.  For the immediate release of your payments you are to  provide the following details to our fiduciary agent; 1.Full Names 2.Full Address 3.Nationality 4.Tele/Cell numbers 5.Occupation 6.Lucky numbers 7.Ticket numbers 8.Sex and age. Remember that this program is organised to enhance  unity and  also encourage all micro-soft users all over the world Congratulations once again from all members of our staff, and thank you for being part of our promotions program. MRS LISA WISE CO-ORDINATOR EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD. WARNING!!! ANY MAIL RECIEVED OF THIS SUCH WITH ANY OTHER TRADE MARK OR ADDRESS  SHOULD BE  FOWARDED TO THIS BOX IMMEDIATELY, THIS WILL HELP US TO FIGHT SCAM AND LOTTERY IMPOSTERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION. < /DIV>

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam