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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:

• 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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million united states 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 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.
  • +447031942653 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448704783524 (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.
  • hardy_02brown@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Lottery Foundation Inc. Uk" <lotterfoundation_inc01@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 17:28:11 +0000
Subject: RE: WINNING RESULT NOTIFICATION !!!!

LOTTERY FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL 

                               LONDON - ENGLAND.
INTERNATIONAL PROMTION/ PREIC
REF: FLI-OP/2811-FM10431/0253
BATCH: HPYW/71/731/UJNL
  

                RE: WINNING RESULT NOTIFICATION !!!!
 Dear winner,

 

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the lottery winners international programs held on the 3rd Oct 2005. Your e-mail Address attached to ticket number 30511056441-45757 with serial number 797-902-034 drew luck numbers 8-61-17-22-4622 which consequently won in the 2nd category; you have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out of US$1.000,000.00 (One million United States Dollars) CONGRATULAION!!! Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your Winning information very confidential till your claims has been processed and your prize/money remitted to you. This is part of security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.

 

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system draw from over 200,000,000 companies and 300,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place annually.  We hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year USD100 million international lottery.  To  file for your claim, please contact our claim agent:
 
Mr. Hardy Brown.
Of the, LOTTERY FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL
E-MAIL: hardy_02brown@yahoo.co.uk  

Tel: +44-703-1942653
Fax: +44-870-4783524 
 
Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 30th December 2005.After this date all unclaimed, funds will be included in the next stake.Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch number in all correspondence. Furthermore,should there be any change of address does inform our agent as soon as possible. Congratulation once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

 

Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

 

Sincerely yours
Mr.Williams Bright.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam