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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:
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Ray Bates" <raybates@anpostinternational.com>
Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 09:27:50 +0000
Subject: AILC- You Have Won:Contact Claims Agent ASAP

An Post International Lottery Company
(Comhlacht Crannchur Naisiuta An Post)
Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1,Republic of Ireland.
Ref. Number: AI-LC/132/756/4509
Batch Number: ai-vq/ 538901527-Bc68
Ticket Number: 27522465896-6453

ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM,

RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today 4th of October
2005 that you are one of the winners of the An Post International Lottery
Company Prugrammes held on 23rd of August 2005. Your e-mail address
attached to ticket number 27522465896-6453 with serial number 3772-554 drew
lucky
numbers 7-14-18-31-45; the lottery was categorized into four zonal (Africa,
America, Europe and Asia)stages with the amount won by individual
respectively and
consequently you have won the lottery in the 1st category.You have therefore
been
approved for a lump sum pay out of £1,000,000.00[One Million Great
Britain Pounds Sterling]Credited to file REF NO.AI-LC/132/756/4509.

This is from total prize of GBP£20,000,000.00 in 1st category shared
among the Twenty international winners in this category. All participants
were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn form 15 million Personal
and Business email addresses from across the globe as part of International
Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your
winning information confidential until your claims have been fully
processed and your money Remitted to you. This is part of our
security protocol to avoid multiple claims and unwarranted abuse of
this program by some participants.

This lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some
multinational companies in Europe as part of their social
responsibility to the citizens in the communities where they have
operational base. We hope with part of your winnings you will take
part in our next year Fifty million Pounds Sterling international
lottery.

You are required keep this award to yourself until your claim has been
processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants
of this program.

Through computer balloting you were been zoned for your winnings to be
released in our Europe Payment office which is in United Kingdom.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim Agent with the details
below:

NAME:MR.MAXWELL BLAIR
Email Address:maxwell_blair@anpostinternational.com

For due processing and remittance of your prize.
Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than two weeks
after the day of notification. After this date, all funds will be returned
as
unclaimed.

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 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.

Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Mr. Gregory Limbo
International Lottery (co-coordinator)

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



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam