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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand 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 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.
  • bill_secoop@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "RICHARDS JOHN" <ukprimelotterydept20050012@msn.com>
Reply-To: bill_seccoop@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 03:49:49 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw of the UK-LOTTO Sweepstake Lottery
International programs held on the 31ST of DECEMBER, 2005 in LEEDS
ENGLAND Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188
with
Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:19-6-26-17-35-7, which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of
US$2,500,000.00
(Two million,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash
credited
to file ktu/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of US $ 25
Million dollars, shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners in
this
category.
All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site
through
computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies. This
promotion takes place annually
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European
booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play
coupon.In view of this, your US$2,500,000.00 (Two million,Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars) would be released to you by our
payment
office in europe.
Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate
the
release of your funds as soon as you contact him.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to
you
in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. this is part of
our
precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse
of
this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
MR Bill Harry
Email:bill_secoop@yahoo.com
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your full
names, your country, your private Telephone and fax number, your
reference/batch numbers etc in any correspondences with us or our
designated agent.
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.
Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
Sincerely,
MARK RIDGE
UK-LOTTO Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam