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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.
  • lizzy_queen101@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "jackson paul" <jackson_paul_2005@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 08 Oct 2005 10:55:38 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATION

EURO-AMERICAN-LOTTERY Headquarters:
Customer Service
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

WINNING NOTIFICATION:


We happily announce to you the draw of the EURO-AMERICAN-LOTTO Sweepstake
Online Lottery International programs held on the (8TH OF OCTOBER, 2005) in
MANCHESTER, UK. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:
56475600545188 with Serial number: 5368/02 drew the lucky
numbers:19-6-26-17-35-7, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd
category.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$2,500,000.00
(Two million,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited
to file ktu/9023118308/03.
This is from a total cash prize of US $25 Million dollars, shared amongst
the first Ten (10) lucky winners in this category.All participants were
selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and
extracted from over 100,000 companies websites.

This promotion takes place annually, Please note that your lucky winning
category # :two(2) falls within our WEST AFRICA(lagos) booklet
representative office in AFRICA from the five booklet
reps.(london,sydney,seoul,lagos,athlanta) as indicated in your play
coupon.In view of this, your US$2,500,000.00 (Two million,Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars) would be released to you by our payment
office in europe.

Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your funds as soon as you contact him. 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 by some unscrupulous elements.Please be
warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
Miss Lizzy Queen.

Email: lizzy_queen101@yahoo.co.uk

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your full
names,your country, your private Telephone and fax number, your
reference/batch numbers etc in any correspondences with us or our designated
agent.
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.
Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
Sincerely,
Jackson Paul.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam