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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims 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.
  • +4407023054314
  • +4408704787819
• 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.
  • claimagent@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: "winning notification" <uklottowinnings_39@msn.com>
Reply-To: questclaimagent@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2006 13:42:14 +0000
Subject: Winning Notification{Lotto Bonus}

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS:  P O Box 1010 Liverpool,  L70 1NL UNITED KINGDOM (Customer Services)
FROM: UNITED KINGDOM NATIONAL LOTTERY. WINNING NOTICE FOR CATEGORY "A" WINNER   BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION Dear Lucky Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded annual final draws of UNITED KINGDOM NATIONAL LOTTERY international Lottery programs. The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 21,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the internet, no tickets were sold. After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged as one of two winners in the category "A" with the following winning information: REF No: UKNL-L/200-26937 BATCH No: 2005MJL-01 TICKET No: 20511465463-7644 SERIAL No: S/N-00168 LUCKY No: 887-13-865-37-10-83 You as well as the other winner are therefore to receive a cash prize of £1,450,000.00. Pounds (one million Four hundred and fifty thousand pounds only) each from the total payout. Your prize award has been insured with your e-mail address and will be transferred to you upon meeting our requirements, statutory obligations, verifications, validations and satisfactory report. To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are advised to contact our licensed and accredited claims agent for category "A" winners with the information below: To file for your claim, please contact the processing agent; Mr Scott Quest TEL: +44 (0) 7023054314 Fax :+44 (0) 870 478 7819 Email: questclaimagent@yahoo.com.hk NOTE: You are also required to indicate what means you would prefer your winning remitted to you, either: 1. Your winner cheque couriered to you  2. You receive your winning by telegraphic transfer from our associate bank to your bank account. Remember to quote your reference information in all correspondence. You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public especially your reference and ticket numbers. (This is important as a case of double claims will not be entertained). Anybody under the age of 18 and members of the affiliate agencies are automatically not allowed to participate in this program. Please note; You are hereby advice to send us the following; 1. Your full name and address 2. Your personal phone and fax number, and 3. Your winning numbers. Reply to this confidential email account: questclaimagent@yahoo.com.hk Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program. Sincerely, Mrs. Monica Lopez for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY. NOTE: You are to contact your claims officer immediately.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam