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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:
  • "claim 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.
  • 00447031847922
• 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.
  • m_cadex@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY" <lotteryclaims2000@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 00:53:23 +0000
Subject: UK NATIONAL LOTTERY " YOU ARE A WINNER"

12 BRIDGE STREET,
STAINS MIDDLESEX TW18 4TP
UNITED KINGDOM.
FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR OF PROMOTIONS,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF: AST341739DS

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today of winners of the
NATIONAL
LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held on 29th october 2005 You / your company,
attached to ticket number 013-2316-2002-477, with serial number A025-09 drew
the
lucky numbers 37-13-34-85-56-42, and consequently won in category B.You have
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of US$2,500,000.00 in cash
credited to file REF NO. REF: AST341739DS. This is from total prize money
of US$15,000,000.00 shared among the six
(6) international winners in the category B. All participants were selected
through a computer ballot system drawn from 30,000 names from Australia, New
Zealand, America, Asia, Europe, USA and North America as part our
International Promotions Program, which is
conducted monthly.Your fund is now deposited with the Finance and Security
section and insured in your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and
names, 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 you prize, you will
participate in our end of year high stakes US$1.3 billion International
lotto.To begin your claim, please contact your claims officer immediately:

MR MOCK CADEX.
CLAIM AGENT
Tel:0044-703-194-5288
Tel : 0044-703-184-7922
Fax:0044-700-580-6405
Email:m_cadex@yahoo.co.uk

For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice, kindly provide him with the following information:
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference number in every one of your correspondences
with your officer. Furthermore, should there be any change of
your address, do inform your claims officer as soon as possible.
Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our
promotions program.

Sincerely,
THE DIRECTOR OF PROMOTIONS
MR.MARK SMITH
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to
disqualification.
***********************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.
Office Of National Lottery.
***********************************************************************

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam