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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
  (+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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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 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.
  • claimsagent_fortunelottery@hotmail.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "national lottery" <national_lottery47@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 05:37:21 +0000
Subject: YOU ARE LUCKY.

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

REFERENCE NUMBER: RIS-5892ZA13-09
BATCH NUMBER: 7901IT-ZA3
THIRD CATEGORY WINNER

ATTENTION:


Dear Sir/Madam,

After a successful completion of the third category draws of THE FORTUNE
LOTTERY
SPECIAL PROGRAMS, held on 11th January 2006, we are pleased to inform you of
the official announcement today that you have emerge done of the winners of
the THE FORTUNE LOTTERY
SPECIAL PROGRAMS, which is part of our promotional draws. Participants were
selected through a
computer ballot system drawn from 35,000 names/email addresses of
individuals and companies from Africa, America,Asia,Australia, Canada,
Europe, Middle East, and New Zealand as part of our International Promotions
Program. You/Your Company, attached to ticket number 777-78-1105, with
serial number 234-90 drew the lucky numbers 8, 12, 31, 52, 38, 40, (9), and
consequently won in the Third Category. You have therefore been awarded a
lump sum pay out of US$820, 000, 00 in cash, which is the winning payout for
third category winners. This is from the total prize money from which
fourteen international winners in the Third category will be shared.

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now deposited with OLDMUTUAL FINANCE AND SECURITIES, insured in
your name. To avoid mix up of numbers and names of any kind, we request that
you keep this award strictly confidential from public notice until the
entire process of transferring your claims has been completed, and your
certified bankers Cheque sent to you. This is part of our security protocol
to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this
program. We also wish to bring to your notice our New Year (2006) high
stakes where you stand a chance of winning up to US$2.0 Million; we hope
that with a part of your prize you will participate. Please contact your
claims agent immediately, to begin your claims process;

MR.FIDEL ACHA
SENIOR CLAIMS EXECUTIVE
OLDMUTUAL FINANCE LTD.
PHONE: 011 27 836826534
EMAIL:claimsagent_fortunelottery@hotmail.co.uk

For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice. Remember, you must contact your claims agent with in
a week of receiving this mail. NOTE: To avoid unnecessary delays and
complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers
provided below in every one of your correspondence with your claims agent.
REFERENCE NUMBER: RIS-5892ZA13-09 BATCH NUMBER: 7901IT-ZA3. Congratulations
once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions
program.
Sincerely,

NKHOSI PETERS
THE LOTTERY COORDINATOR
THE FORTUNE LOTTERY SWEEPSTAKES SPECIAL
789KENT ROAD, ILLOVO
JOHANNESBURG.2167
SOUTH AFRICA.

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to
disqualification. Please do reply to this mail. Contact your claims agent
whose credentials are listed above. All staff of THE FORTUNE LOTTERY SPECIAL
PROGRAMES, Old mutual Finance and members of their family as well as South
Africans of all ages are barred from this lottery.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam