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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:
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "british lottery commission"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "sent to you via courier service" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
• 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.
  • +447040118829 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Wilson Henry" <claimsagent@wilsonandhenry-firm.com>
Date: Thu, 09 Jun 2005 10:00:05 +0000
Subject: Remittance Procedures!

Dear Winner,
I am in receipt of your email and do understand your surprise in this
regard, however permit me to say Congratulations once more as you have
emerged one of the three winners in the 6 Ball Games lottery 3rd category
draw and thereby entitled to a cash price of £2,000,000.00. Be informed that
the 3rd category draw is a promotional draw, that means a free lottery draw.
As such you do not necessarily have to buy tickets to be part of this
program, as names of selected individuals and companies were entered into a
computer balloting system. The motive for the 3rd category draw is because 6
Ball Games lottery are planning to start selling tickets internationally
before the year runs out, as such they are having this promotion for people
to be aware of their activities and services before they actually come out
to start selling tickets, internationally. Note that the 3rd category draw
is finance from the proceeds of the 1st and 2nd categories respectively.

Find below necessary requirements needed in processing your claims;


ATTN: L. Bronstein

Dear Prize Winner,

Acting on instructions in your claims file with the Lotto payment order
below:

(i) Winning numbers: 05,11,25,31,59,62
(ii) Serial number: 71-2-5166
(iii) Lotto batch number: 6BG-110
(iv) Reference number: WH-904-8

I wish to inform you that payment of your Lottery Claims amounting to
£2,000,000.00 being prize money from 6 Ball Games lottery 3rd Category draws
has been certified by all authorities involved. You are required to fill a
"Claim Form" with all necessary details. Follow the link below to download
the claims form in MSWord format.

http://www.wahff.co.uk/lottery.htm

After download, print, fill, and send to us either by Fax or as an email
attachment. You will also be required to pay a fee of £4,550.00 (Four
thousand five hundred and fifty Great Britain Pounds), or its equivalent in
your local currency. This payment is to cover transfer charges,
administrative cost, opening of account charges, Insurance of vital
documents like prize claim certificate and other transfer documents, that
will be sent to you via Courier service immediately transfer of your
winnings is effected. Note that your total prize claim of £2,000,000.00 has
been insured to it's real value and it's against the British Lottery
Commission rules to carry out deductions on a 3rd category prize money for
any reason whatsoever.

You are required to respond and act without delay to all instructions
provided above to ensure a glitch free claims process that will facilitate
the transfer of your prize money.Note that your winnings will be transferred
to your stipulated Bank account within 24hours after receipt of all
requirements. I shall send you remitance instruction for the required fee,
when I recieve your filled claims form. Congratulations once more, and
thanks for your cooperation.

Truly yours,
Mr.Norman King
Claims Department Manager
WILSON & HENRY FINANCIAL FIRM
Email: claimsagent@wilsonandhenry-firm.com
Tel: +44 7040118829
Fax: +44 7005804427

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam