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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:
  • "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.
  • +447031911399 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Alan Bailey" <alan_bailey003@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 19:04:55 +0000
Subject: 2006 IMPERIAL AWARD !!

FROM: THE LOTTERY COORDINATOR,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
IMPERIAL LOTTERY UK.

Dear Prize Winner,
IMPERIAL LOTTERY UK, wishes to inform you of the results of its
Promotional draws held on the 4th January,2006 as part of our Yearly
bonanza. We are happy to officially inform you that you have emerged a
winner under our Third Category Draws.
Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from 50,000 names/email addresses of individuals and companies from
Africa,America,Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and New Zealand
as part of our International Promotional Program.
You have consequently been awarded a lump sum pay out of £250,000.00 (Two
Hundred And Fifty Thousand Great Britain Pounds) in cash, which is the
winning payout for Third Category winners.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now deposited with CASHFLO FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD, insured
in your name. In your best interest and also to avoid mix up of numbers and
names of any kind, we request that you keep the entire details of your award
strictly from public notice until the process of transferring your claims
has been completed. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants/non participants of this
program.

The following particulars are attached to your lotto payment order:
(i)Winning Numbers: 12, 28, 22, 23, 45, 49, (08)
(ii)TicketNumber: 44-8201-093
(iii)File Reference Number:IL6341-E
(iv)Lotto Batch Number:OCT-14VE
For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice, please contact your claims agent immediately.

Find below all contact details;
HARRIS WILTORD,
FOREIGN SECTION MANAGER,
CASHFLO FINANCE SERVICES LTD.
PHONE: +44-703-191-1399
FAX: +44-709-287-3264
EMAIL: harrisparker04@yahooco.uk
Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our program.
Sincerely,
Alan Bailey,
LOTTERY COORDINATOR,
IMPERIAL LOTTERY
UK.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam