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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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447040114988 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448701355854 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • walter@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Elsa Dalton" <dalton_els@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 14:15:39 +0000
Subject: PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT OF ROYAL NATIONAL LOTTERY!!!

FROM: PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT OF ROYAL NATIONAL LOTTERY, WINNING NOTICE
FOR SILVER STAKE WINNER- Ref. No.- RNL/051/652659967/UK

Royal National Lottery has just concluded its final draws of it's periodical
promotional program. An exclusive list of email addresses of thousands of
individual and corporate bodies were picked by automated random computer
search from the internet. No tickets were sold. Your email address emerged
as one of seven winners in the silver stakes category as email addresses
were soughted, from a total number of 25,000 addresses drawn from all over
the globe.

After an automated computer ballot of our International Promotions Program,
only SEVEN winners emerged in this category and therefore each are to
receive payouts of €1,500,000,00 from the total of
€10,500,000.00 (TEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EUROS).

However,every email address selected was accompanied by a reference and
ticket number, after the cyber lotto selection, the below ticket and
reference numbers emereged as one of the lucky winners in the above
category.CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Reference number for your prize is:Ref. No.- RNL/051/652659967/UK
Ticket No.- RNL87867UK

For the your prize claim processing, we have employed the service of an
lnternational Trust firm. They are to handle the transfer of your cash prize
of €1,500,000.00 in line with our procedures and upon your
directions. Your prize has been insured to its full value with your email
address and will be transferred to you under their professional service.

To immediately initiate the processing of your prize claim, please contact
our financial handlers Bond finance & securities,below are the contact
information of their FINANCIAL DIRECTOR;

Mr. Leonard Walter
Financial Director
Bond finance & securities.
email:leonardo-walter@hotmail.com
Phone:+447040114988
Fax: +448701355854

In your best interest(s), you must initiate contact within two weeks of
receipt of this correspondence. Bond finance & securities,are to handle all
matters with regards to claiming of your prize money. You are also advised
to send a copy of this email, to your claims agent Mr. Leonard Walter, when
contacting him.

You may be required to provide any of the above information during the
process of collecting your prize. We congratulate you once again and it is
our hope that you participate in any of our international programs in the
nearest future.

Thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!!!.

Sincerely,
Elsa Dalton,
Promotions Manager,
Royal National Lottery,
United Kingdom

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam