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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:
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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: "james wright" <uk@onlinedraws.org>
Reply-To: uk_lottodraws@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 12:06:27 +0000
Subject: RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION..........CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

FREE LOTTERY PROMOTION INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEP9 Chaucer House
  Churchill gardensLondon, SW1V 3DW United Kingdom.

 

                           RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION..........CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL/ WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 30th September , 2005. Due to  the mix up of numbers,the results were released on the 15th of Oct, 2005. Your e-mail  address attached to ticket number:4156189324 under  agent ID: 110 which subsequently won you the lottery
in the 3rd category.You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of 1,000,000.00EUR (One Million EUR) in cheque drawn in your favour as beneficiary and covered with HIGH  INSURANCE POLICY.

 

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

 

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from only Microsoft users from over 20,000.00 companies and 3,000,000 individual  email addresses and names from all over the world. To begin your lottery claim, please contact our agentbelow that have been appointed for the processing of your claim with the email address below:
   
  CONTACT NAME:Mrs  Betty Ian
  CITY/ COUNTRY:  London, United Kingdom.
        EMAIL: Uk_lottodraws@yahoo.c.uk

 

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 10days of receiving this notification. After this date all unclaimed, funds will be included in the next stake.           
Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your WINNING  NUMBER and AGENT NUMBER in all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.

 

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

 

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

 

Yours faithfully,
Mr.James Wright.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam