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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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.
  • +27736020044 (South Africa, 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.
  • danny_robinson11@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "bill bill owen" <lottocompany_uklottey@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2005 09:38:05 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION, CONGRATULATIONS!!

Dear : Sir/Madam,

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, 29/10/2005, of
winners of the OSLO LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, held on
20TH/ 04/ 2005 as part of our promotional draws.

Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from Africa, America,
Asia,Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and NewZealand as part of our
electronic business Promotion Program.

You qualified for the draw as a result of our visiting various websites and
we are running the e-business promotions. You/Your Company, attached to
ticket number 100-309-7482, with serial number 513-10 drew the lucky
numbers, 2,9,22,23,24,30,+5 and consequently won in the Second Category.You
have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$1,950,000.00 in
cash, which is the winning payout for Second category winners. This is from
the total prize money of US$13,650,000.00 shared among the Seven
international winners in the Second category.

CONGRATULATIONS! Your fund is now deposited with the Oslo Lottery Finance
and Company 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 your prize, you will participate in our mid year
(2005) high stakes US$1.3 billion International Lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent immediately.

MR. DANNY ROBINSON.

FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER,

Universal Buildiing,

132 - 133 Park Hurst Balfour -

Unite 1440 Johannesburg,

Gauteng 2001 SOUTH AFRICA

CELL: +27-73-602-0044

EMAIL: danny_robinson11@yahoo.co.uk

For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice. Remember, you must contact your claim agent not
later than 30th/11/ 2005. After this date, all funds will be returned as
unclaimed. NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers provided below in
every one of your correspondences with your claims agent.

REFERENCE NUMBER: OSL-ZR39-825P-4,BATCH NUMBER: 74-263-BBN.

Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotions program. Sincerely,

THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,

Universal Buildiing,

132 - 133 Park Hurst Balfour -

Unite 1440 Johannesburg,

Gauteng 2001 SOUTH AFRICA

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to
disqualification. Please do not reply to this mail box. Contact your claims
agent through this email contact above



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam