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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:
  • "fiduciary 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.
  • +447040129808 (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.
  • btl_fagent@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "BRITISH LOTTERY HEADQUARTER." <btl_headquarter1@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 12:58:02 +0000
Subject: BTL NOTIFICATION Batch: 12/25/0304

 

British Lottery Headquarters:
Customer Service
28 TANFIELD ROAD,
CROYDON.LONDON

Ref: BTL/491OXI/04
Batch: 12/25/0304
Date: 19/10/2005

WINNING NOTIFICATION
                                             
We announce to you the draw of the British
Lottery International programs held on the 1st of
September 2005 in London. Your e-mail address attached
to ticket number: 564 75600545-188 with serial number
5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 31-6-26-13-35-7,which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.

You have been approved to claim a total
 sum of US$2,500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred thousand,
United States Dollars) in cash credited to file
RPC/9080118308/04 made available from a total cash prize
of US $125 Million dollars.

You were selected randomly from world
wide web sites through a computer drawn system
extracted from over 100,000 companies.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls
within our booklet representative office in Europe as
indicated in our play coupon. In view of this, your
US$2,500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred
thousand, United States Dollars) would be released to
you by our affiliate bank in London as soon as you
establish contact.

  To file for your claim, contact our
fiduciary agent via the below details;

 AGENT: Mr. Gary Spencer
Email: btl_fagent@hotmail.com
TEL: +447040129808
TEL: +447031847750
TEL: +447031902131
FAX: +448704783982

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
quote your reference/batch numbers in any
correspondences with our designated
agent. Congratulations once more from all members and
staff of this program. Thank you for being part of our
promotional lottery program.
 
Sincerely,
 
Mr Michael Ronin.
Zonal Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam