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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:
  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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "urban lottery international"
• 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 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.
  • +2348034872279 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • john_uzo1@yahoo.ca
  • john_uzo@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "ubran lottery international" <ubran_lottery_international5@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 17:23:00 +0000
Subject: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
GREEN JOHNSON  (URBAN LOTTERY 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 THIS YEAR.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:

REV.DR JOHN UZOR
E MAIL: john_uzo1@yahoo.ca OR john_uzo@hotmail.com
TEL: +234-803-487-2279
CALL HIM IMMEDIATELY WITH HIS ABOVE DIRECT PHONE NUMBER,IF YOU ARE
CALLING FROM THE US THIS IS HOW YOU WILL DIAL +011-234-803-487-2279

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.

Bear it in mind that 10% of your fund will be going to the urban
lottery after you must have received the fund into your account.

Sincerely,
MR.GREEN JOHNSON.
VICE PRESIDENT.
URBAN LOTTERY.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam