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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 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.
  • iplekeclaims@uku.co.uk
  • pwlclaims@plasa.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Perfect will Lottery" <perfectwilllottery3@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 16:00:43 +0000
Subject: 2005 P.W.L WINNER CONGRATULATIONS!!!

PARFECT-WILL LOTTERY
parfect will Office
37 Cecil Road,
Cheshunt,
Herts. EN8 8TN
England.
UK

PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF NUMBER: 1PW-UIV/2W2 BATCH NO: 2005/PWL/OBN.

ATTENTION: WINNER

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of 7th Octomer 2005,of
winners of the PARFECT-WILL LOTTERY held on the 19th of August, 2005 as part
of our yearly bonanza. Your email, attached to ticket number 654-7002-0,
with serial number 24086-104 drew the lucky numbers
3-4-81-11-19-11, and consequently won the lottery in category B. You have
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of £2,000,000 in cash credited to
file REF: PL-IOM/2W2

This is from total prize money of £14,000,000 shared among 7 winners in this
category. All participants were selected through a computer balloting system
drawn from 200,000 emails from Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe and
North America and oceania as part our International
Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

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 2006
high stakes International Draw. For due processing and remittance of your
prize money to a designated account of your choice, please contact:

CLAIMS AGENT
MR. JAMES THOMAS
Email: iplekeclaims@uku.co.uk / pwlclaims@plasa.com

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 claims 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,
Ms. Kissack D R
The Promotions Manager,
PARFECT-WILL LOTTERY

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

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam