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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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")
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +31629382459 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • tonyratner5@tangana.com

Fraud email example:

From: "nationallottery0011@go.com" <nationallottery0011@go.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 19:01:57 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION !!!





NATIONAL LOTTO NLKlunvelik 5A, 7012 AM, Postbus 3240, 7012 AMAmsterdam, TheNetherlands
Ref: LSUK/2031/8161/05Batch: R3/A312-59

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#Draw 988) of the NETHERLAND NATIONAL LOTTO, (lotto NL) online International Program held on the 10/10/2005.Your e-mail address gave you this lucky numbers:
This made you a possible winner and subsequently won you one of the five Jackpot prizes.You are therefore been approved to claim a total sum of FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND EUROS ONLINE( €550,000.00 ) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of ONE MILLION SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINE THOUSAND AND NINETY-SIX POUNDS STERLING ONLY(£1,679,096 ), shared amongst the NINETEEN (8) lucky winners in this category.

All participants for the online version were selected randomly from the World Wide Web through a computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies email addresses that are listed online. That is where your email-address was gotten from, and made you a possible winner.

This promotion takes place weekly. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your (€550,000.00) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe. To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent.

To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary Agent:-

CLAIM AGENT.TONY RATNER Email: tonyratner5@tangana.com Tell: +31-629-382-459Fax: +31-847-307-145

NOTE: That your Winnings Certificate and all other relevant documents/paperwork can be prepared for you. You would be required to show an instrument of identification when cashing your cheque i.e. Drivers license or International passport.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
Congratulation from me and members of staff of the Lotto NL.

Yours faithfully,Mrs Telma Brook.Online coordinator for Netherlands National Lottery International Program

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam