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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:
  • "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 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.
  • +447040125642 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: freelotto@freelotto.org
Reply-To: freelottouk@freeweb.org
Date: 20 Apr 2006 18:13:35 -0000
Subject: Congratulations!Contact Verifying Department


THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY

UK HEAD OFFICE

SUITE 23-30, LION TOWERS

CENTRAL LONDON

ENGLAND



www.freelotto.com





Dear winner,



We are pleased to announce to you the draw of the Free Lotto PROGRAMME online Sweepstakes International Program held on 20/4/2006.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/05 drew the lucky number: 10 which subsequently won the LOTTO PLUS 1 prize. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 700,000 pounds (seven hundred thousand pounds) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/05 of Free Lotto.





All participants for the online version were selected randomly from the World Wide Web through a computer draw system and extracted from over 50,000,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online.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 playcoupon. In view of this, your 700,000 ounds would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe(UK).





To file for your claim contact the verification department:



Tel +44-70-4012-5642

+44-70-2407-8367



Email:verificationdepartmentv@walla.com



1. Please quote your Reference number in all correspondence with the claims officer.

2. Winners must send their names, address, telephone number.

3. winners must send identification (international passport or drivers license) to claim officer to process immediate payment of their prize.





Warning: If any winner thinks that this program is a SCAM or a JOKE

Please you are advised not to reply this email, because we want to avoid embarrassment, of winner and the abuse of this lottery program because we have responsible bodies that handle that kind of affairs.Secondly, you are not supposed to reply to this contact email address because it would not be responded to.





That way your Winnings Certificate and all other relevant documents/paperwork can be prepared for you. Note Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 30/4/2006. After this date, all funds will be

returned as unclaimed. Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, remember to quote your reference number and batch number in all correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform us as soon as possible.





In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please endeavor to quote your Reference Number( LSUK/2031/8161/05) and Batch

Number(R3/A312-59)in every correspondence with your agent.Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.





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. Please be warned.





NOTE (WARNING):FRAUDULENT EMAILS ARE CIRCULATING CLAIMING TO BE THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REPORT TO US ANY OF SUCH EMAILS YOU ENCOUNTER. ALSO NOTE THAT INTERNET SCAMMERS AND FRAUDSTERS MAY WANT TO CONTACT YOU AND ILLEGALLY ASK FOR ADVANCED FEES. THOSE ARE SCAMS. BEWARNED!



THIS MESSAGE IS FROM THE FREE LOTTO SECURITY UNIT.





Good luck from me and members of staff of the Free Lotto Company.



Yours faithfully,

Mrs.Thelma Jones.



Online Co-ordinator for free lotto SWEEPSTAKE PROGRAMME











- FREE LOTTO COMPANY





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam