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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:
  • "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.
  • +447031941328 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "diana john" <todayuklotto_121@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 01:34:19 +0000
Subject: PRIZE NOTIFICATION REF: PBL/CN/6654/CP

The Lottery Department
Toyota Car Promotions
Haandvaerkervej 8,1
DK-9000 Aalborg
CVR-nr. 25554493
PRIZE...AWARD

This is to inform you that have been selected for a cash prize of
£2,600,000.00 (Two Million Six
Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds)and a brand new toyota car (Toyota
Prius) International
programs held on the 20th september 2005 in the London Uk.

The selection process was carried out through random selection in our
computerized email
selection system(ess) from a database of over 250,000 email addresses drawn
from all the
continents of the world.

This Toyota car Lottery is approved by the British Gaming Board and also
Licensed by the The
International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR). This promotional car
lottery is the tenth
of its kind and we intend to sensitize the public.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your claims officer
through our
accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below:

Mr. Mark Woody,
E-mail: markwoody_claimagent@uk2.net
Tel: +44-703-194-1328
Tel: +44-703-194-2673
Fax: 44-87-1247-2539

When contacting him, please provide him with your secret in code x7pwyz2005
and your Ref Nr:
PBL/CN/6654/CP.You are also advised to provide him with the under listed
information as soon as
possible:
Claims Requirements:

1.Name in full---------------------------------------------------

2.Address--------------------------------------------------------

3.Nationality----------------------------------------------------

4.Age------------------------------------------------------------

5.Occupation-----------------------------------------------------

6.Phone/Fax------------------------------------------------------

7.Present Country------------------------------------------------

If you do not contact your claims agent within 7 working days of this
notification,your winnings
would be revoked. Winners are advised to keep their winning
details/information from the public
to avoid fraudulent claim (IMPORTANT)pending the transfer/claim by Winner.
Accept my hearty congratulations once again!

Regards
Mrs Diana John
Lottery Manager

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam