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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • +447040129790 (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.
  • silverbirdlottery_claimsdept@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "silverbird lottery" <silverbird_promo@msn.com>
Reply-To: silverbirdlottery_claimsdept@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2005 15:35:11 +0000
Subject: REF:OYL / 5876754-87609-03 (SILVERBIRD PROMO LOTTERY AWARD NOTIFICATION / FINAL)

SILVERBIRD PROMO LOTTERY
102, VICTORIA ROAD NORTH,
SOUTHSEA P05 1QQ
UNITED KINGDOM.


FROM: OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR,
INTERNATIONAL CLAIM DEPARTMENT,
REF:OYL / 5876754-87609-03
BATCH: XT134/8876501/XZT.


TO WINNER,


SILVERBIRD PROMO LOTTERY AWARD NOTIFICATION / FINAL NOTICE.

We are pleased to inform you of the Announcement today, of winners of the
SILVERBIRD PROMO LOTTERY UNITED KINGDOM, INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM held on 19th
April, 2005. Your email address is attached to the ticket number
:00675-0478-98643-010; with serial number: 6754-34 drew the lucky numbers:
00-89-41-06-23-77, and Consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have hereby been approved for a lump sum payment of US$5.500.000 in cash
credited to your file REF NO: OYL/5876754-87609-03. This is from total prize
money of US$65,500.000.00 shared among all International winners in this
category. All participants were selected through a computer Ballot system
drawn from 50,000 email addresses from AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AMERICA,
EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA and ASIA as part of international promotions program,
which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Your fund is now deposited with a Finance company insured in your favour Due
to the mix up of some numbers and mail ddresses. We ask that you keep this
award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and
your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol
to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this
program. We hope with a part of your prize you will participate in our end
of our year high stakes US$1.5billion international lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent below immediately:

MR. JAMES ROBERTSON,
CLAIMS DEPARTMENT
SILVERBIRD PROMO LOTTERY,
UNITED KINGDOM.
E-MAIL ID: silverbirdlottery_claimsdept@hotmail.com
TEL :+44 704 012 9790.
FAX :+44 703 040 3770.


For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice.Remember,all prize money must be claimed not later
than 30TH OF OCTOBER, 2005. After this date, all funds will be returned as
unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complication, please remember
to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your
correspondences with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of
your address,do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our
promotions program. You are advised to inform us of your receipt of this
mail.

Sincerely,

MR KELVIN OWEN.
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
SILVERBIRD PROMO LOTTERY,
UNITED KINGDOM.


Nº-000166-00123154
24462225/008045160027.OCT/100000488
462225/008045160027.OCT/100000488

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam