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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.
  • +27725651324 (South Africa, 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.
  • tomzumas@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: britishstakeslottery@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 11:40:36 +0200
Subject: congratulations== you have won


CONGRATULATIONS!!!
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN SELECTED AS A WINNER OF OUR 2010 WORLD CUP BID FREE LOTTERY
SPONSORED BY THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY OF $3,000,000 ( THREE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS

This Lottery is for the season. You are directed to to call your claim agent as soon as this message gets to you. If after two working weeks you do not report your winning you may be disqualified.




NOTICE: THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL CAN PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTRY ; AUSTRALIA, UK, SOUTH AFRICA, RUSSIA AND FRANCE

YOU ARE THEREFORE ENTITLED FOR YOUR CLAIM ONLY FOR FOURTEEN WORKING DAYS
AND
YOU ARE ASKED TO COME AND CLAIM YOUR PRIZE OR BE DENIED IT ACCORDING TO THE RULE









Ref: BTL/491OXI/04
Batch: 12/25/0304

WINNING NOTIFICATION

The 2010 world cup bid Free Lottery is a computer programme created to select at random people's email ID's attached to a winner number of a draw that was held in their absence to declare such a person, or organisation a winner. Thus you are requested to conceal every information regarding your prize to avoid someone else to put up the claim. You are always mean't to call your programme co-ordinator for directive.

We happily announce to you the draw of the 2010 world cup Lottery International programs held on the 25th of JANUARY 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 564 75600545-188 with serial number 5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 3-6-26-13-35-20, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category. Note that your claim would come from the place of the draw which was in your absence.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$3,000,000.00(Three million United States Dollars) in cash credited to file RPC/9080118308/04 made available from a total cash prize of US $125 Million dollars, shared amongst the first Fifty (50) lucky winners in this category. This years Lottery Program Jackpot is the largest ever for British Lottery. The estimated $125 million jackpot would be the sixth-biggest in Joburg history. The biggest was the $363 million jackpot that went to two winners in a May 2000 draw of The Big Game, Mega Millions' predecessor.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in our play coupon. In view of this, your US$3,000,000.00 (Three million United States Dollars) would be released to you by our affiliate bank in Gautend Province. Our agent will immediately commence the facilitation of release of funds to you as soon as you establish contact.

All participants were selected randomly from world wide web sites through a computer drawn system and extracted from over 100,000 companies.This promotion takes place annually. For security This is part of precautionary measures to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. To file for your claim, pleasecontact our instructing agent with the below details for processing of your claims.

AGENT: Dr Tom Zuma
Email: tomzumas@yahoo.com

Website : www.freelotto.com
Tel: + 27 725651324

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batchn umbers in any correspondences with us or our designated
agent. Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program. Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,

Mr Michael Ronin
Zonal Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam