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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)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "uk lottery" <uklottery.officer@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 06:59:38 +0100
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION:

Dear Sir/Madam,
The National Uk Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
Date:30/01/2006

WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw (#1009) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,
online Sweepstakes International program held on JANUARY 30TH , 2006. Your
e-mail Address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number
5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:01-40-43-44-48-49 (bonus no.02), which
subsequently won You the lottery in the 2nd category i.e.match 5 plus bonus.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of &pound;778,226
(seven hundred and seventy-eight thousand,two hundred and twenty-six pounds
sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.This is from a total
cash prize of &pound;3,782,260 (three million, seven hundred and eighty-two
thousand, two hundred and sixty pounds sterling) shared amongst the nine (9)
lucky winners in this categoryi.e. Match 5 plus!Bonus.

All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World
Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000
unions,associations, and corporate bodies that are listedonline.This
promotion takes place weekly. Please note that your lucky winning
number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as
indicated in your &pound;778,226 (seven hundred and seventy-eight
thousand,two hundred and twenty-six pounds sterling) play would be released
to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.Our European agent
will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your
funds as soon as you make contact.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in
What ever 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.Please be warned. To file for your claim, please fill the form below
and send it to the claims agent:
MR.STANLEY CRAIG
Email:stanley_craig@mail15.com

Yours faithfully,
STANLEY CRAIG.
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program
NATIONAL LOTTERY
(Form HLP)
REFERENCE NUMBER: UK/9420X2/68
FULL NAME...............................................
COMPANY NAME: ...........................................
FULL ADDRESS:...........................................
SEX:.................................
AGE...................................
OCCUPATION.............................
TEL.......................FAX................. (If any)
COUNTRY................................
E-MAIL..................................
HAVE YOU A PASSPORT OR LICENCE.............(identification on delivery)

INDICATE PREFERRED MODE OF PRIZE COLLECTION:
(A) CHEQUE

(B) DRAFT
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY/ INDIVIDUAL:
.................................................................
.................................................................
................................................................

____________________________
Date.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam