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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 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.
  • andrewg@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Luckyday Lotto" <luckytday@msn.com>
Reply-To: agent71@myway.com
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 09:00:33 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!

 

   
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
LUCKYDAY E-MAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.
BACTH NO: PTP/31211214257/190888/2202
REF.  NO: PTP/21449267220/255100//2202
LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!
Dear Lucky Winner,
This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL
LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL/ WORLD GAMING BOARD held
on the 1st of August, 2005.
Due to the mix up of number, the results were released
on the 7th of August 2005. Your name attached to
ticket
number 219028657434 with serial number 18735625 drew
the
lucky numbers of 21-70-81-82-99 which consequently won
the lottery in the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout
of €2,000,000:00 Only ( TWO MILLION EUROS ONLY) in
cash which is deposited with a Finance & Security
Company
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 agent
below
that have been appointed for the processing of your
claim
with your contact telephone and fax number to begin
the
processing of your claim:
LUCKYDAY PAYMENT OFFICE MANCHESTER ENGLAND
CONTACT NAME: ANDREW GORDON
CITY/ COUNTRY: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
Email:agent71 andrewg@myway.com
Note that all winning must be claimed not later than
5th of november2005. 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 reference
number
and batch numbers 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 Sincerely,
Mrs. Ann Van Dou
YOU ARE ADVICE NOT TO REPLY TO THIS EMAIL CONTACT YOUR
CLAIMS AGENT
ASAP TO CLAIM YOUR WINNINGS.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam