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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • mikeokoro840@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "URBAN LOTTERY PROMOTION 2005/2006" <urban_lotto40@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 11:00:33 +0000
Subject: AWARD NOTIFICATION

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT JOHN WILTORD
( URBAN PROMOTIONS INTERNATIONAL ) PRIZE AWARD DEPT

REF NO: 15/0018/IPD

BATCH NO: EGS/ 22504002/04

ATTN: WINNER.

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE.

We are pleased to inform you, that as a result of our
RECENT LOTTERY
DRAWS HELD on the 23rd of Dec 2005.Your e-mail address
attached to
ticket number:085-12876077-09 with serial
number:51390-0 drew lucky numbers:03-05-12-14-38 which
consequently won
in the 5th category.you have therefore been approved
for a lump sum pay of (ONE MILLION US DOLLARS ONLY) in
cash credited to file with REF:
º.EGS/3662367114/13.Note that all participants in this
lottery program
have been selected randomly through a computer ballot
system drawn from over 20,000 Officials and 30,000,000
individual email addresses from all search engines and
web sites,from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe,
North and South America, Middle East and Africa, as
part of our
International Promotions Program. This promotional
program takes place
every year,and is promoted and sponsored by eminent
personalities
like the Sultan of Brunei,Bill Gates of microsoft inc
and other
corporate organizations.This is to encourage the use
of the internet
and computers worldwide.

Your fund is now deposited with Union Bank and insured
in your name for
security purpose and clarity,we advise that you keep
your winning information confidential until your
claims have been processed and your
money remitted to your account.This is part of our
security protocol to
avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this
program by some
participants.We look forward to your active
participation in our next 4
million dollars slot.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to
contact your claims
agent through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as
stated below:

DR MIKE OKORO

E MAIL: mikeokoro840@yahoo.com

TEL: 011-234-803-497-5620

CALL HIM IMMEDIATELY WITH HIS ABOVE DIRECT PHONE
NUMBER

When you contact him, please provide him with your
secret BATCH NO, SERIAL NO.You are also advised to
provide him with the under listed
information as soon as possible:

1. Name in full
2. Address
3. Nationality
4. Age
5. Occupation
6. Phone/Fax

All winnings must be claimed not later than one month.
After the date
of this notice.

Please note,in order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications,
remember to quote your reference number and batch
numbers in
all correspondence.

Furthermore,should there be any change of address do
inform our agent
as soon as possible.

Congratulations!!! once more and thank you for being
part of our
promotional program.

Sincerely,
MR.JOHN WILTORD.
VICE PRESIDENT.
URBAN PROMO.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam