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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:

• 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.
  • costumercare_luckyday@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "mrs.patients davidson" <mrs.patients_davidson@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mrs_patience_davidson@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 10:02:55 -0700
Subject: ''CONGRATULATIONS'' YOU HAVE WON.

LUCKYDAY E-MAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.LONDON UK
BACTH NO: PTP/31211214257/190888/2202
REF. NO: PTP/21449267220/255100//2202
This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL LOTTERY BALLOT
INTERNATIONAL/ WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 20th of October, 2005.

Due to the mix up of number, the results were released on the 26th of
October, 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 ( TWO MILLION
POUNDS 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:

CLAIM PAYMENT OFFICER,CONTACT NAME: ANDREW GORDON
Email:costumercare_luckyday@yahoo.co.uk

Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 2nd of November, 2005.
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:Winner under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Yours Sincerely,
Mrs.Patience David


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam