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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • info_claims_dpt@ny.com

Fraud email example:

From: "STERLING MILLIONAIRE LOTTERY" <harryparson@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 13:23:35 +0000
Subject: YOU HAVE WON EMAIL LOTTERY

RANDOM CASH PROMO LOTTERY
The Office of Fair Trading,
Fleetbank House,
2-6 Salisbury Square,
London

INTERNATIONAL CLAIM DEPARTMENT,
Dear Sir/Madam,

YOU WON: 2,000,000.00 Euros
REF NUMBER: 9211-285-167
BATCH NO: V-A-PUK/0043/SHI
ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION: FINAL NOTICE 2RD CATEGORY PROMOTIONAL DRAWN
RESULT
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of 19th January,
2006,of winners of the RANDOM CASH LOTTERY PROMOTION UK held on the 27th
December, 2005 as part of our yearly bonanza. You/Your company's email
address,attached to ticket number 4278-8845-284, with serial number 211-358
drew the lucky numbers 56-39-99-20, and consequently won the lottery in 2nd
category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of
2,000,000.00 Euros( 2,000,000.00 Euros)
All participants were selected through a computer balloting system
drawn from 125,000 emails from Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada,
Europe and North America and Oceania as part our International
Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.
CONGRATULATIONS!
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 you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
You are required to Contact immediately the Claims Official, below for the
immediate processing and collection of your winning claim with your:
Full Name,Telephone and Email address. Please quote your Reference number
and
Batch Number in all correspondence.
-----------------------------------------------------
Kindly, immediately, contact your claim agent:

Contact persson:JAY HAUSEN

Email: info_claims_dpt@ny.com

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotions program.
Sincerely,
Mr. Harry Parson
The Promotions Manager,
INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
RANDOM CASH LOTTERY PROMOTION UK
for due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice. Remember, all claims must be made within two weeks .
After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.
N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will
result to disqualification.Please do not reply to this mail. Contact
your claims agent.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam