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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "claims director" (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.
  • +447040116852 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447030402233 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448717202880 (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.
  • tw_waterburn@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Theresa Medlin" <th_medlin_uk1980@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 09:52:06 +0000
Subject: Prize Notification!!!!!!

Dear Prize Winner,

I wish to bring to your notice on behalf of VIRTUALWORLD SWEEPSTAKES
LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, UK results of its new year online lottery promotions
programme bonanza.

VIRTUALWORLD SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, UK is pleased to officially
inform you that you have emerged as one of the 6 lucky winners in the
VIRTUALWORLD SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, UK draw held on 7th of
January, 2006.

VIRTUALWORLD SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, UK winners are randomly
selected from a batch of 40,000 international emails drawn from the world
wide web users database all over the world.

Consequently, you have therefore been approved a total pay outof Three
Million United Kingdom Pounds in cash ( £3,000,000). The following
particulars are attached to your lotto payment order:

(i) Winning numbers: 07, 15, 29, 37, 48, 56
(ii) Email ticketnumber: 273-1-3221
(iii) Lotto batch number: OEL-234B
(iv) File Ref. number: IL6341

For all matters relating to verification and claims of your winnings, you
are to contact:

MR. TEDD WATERBURN
CLAIMS DIRECTOR,
VIRTUALWORLD GAMES, UK
44 Heberden Street,
WC1B 3DG London.
Email:tw_waterburn@sify.com
TEL: +447040116852
+44 8717202880
FAX: +44 7030402233

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and
press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so
desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of
confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems
associated with fraudulent claims.This is part of our precautionary measure
to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this program.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

At your disposal, we remain.

Truly Yours,
MRS THERESA MEDLIN
PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
AWARDS CO-ORDINATOR
VIRTUALWORLD GAMES, UK
44 Heberden Street,
WC1B3 DG London.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam