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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:

• 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")
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +447023051585 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • hartmansteve@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "frank Johnson Claim Director" <frank_johnson79@excite.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 14:40:52 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: RE: Follow up







The National LotteryP O Box 1010Liverpool, L70 1NLUNITED KINGDOM(Customer Services)Ref: UK/9420X2/68Batch: 074/05/ZY369




Dear Email User: hartmansteve@yahoo.com
I thank you very much for your email, am Mr. Frank Johnson of CASH CHANGE UK LTD the claim agent to the British National Lottery here in United Kingdom Uk below are some of the informations you need and to provide.You are hereby Adviced to fill the below Claim form before your winnings can be prossessed and payment made out to you after verification. This Free Lotto was organised by successful electronic dealers in United Kingdom just to compensate internet / Email users world wide. Which was held on Wednesday 29th March 2006 and results were officially announced. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 names/email addresses of individuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania as part of our International Promotions Program.
==============================================================================APPLICATION FOR PRIZE CLAIM (Receipt Official Notification Letter) [WINNERS FORM] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FULL NAME OF WINNER]...................................................................[FULL POSTAL ADDRESS]..................................................................[COUNTRY/ REGION].......................................................................[STATE/ PROVINCE].......................................................................[DATE OF BIRTH].........../......../................ [SEX]...........................[MARITAL STATUS]..................... [OCCUPATION].....................................[CURRENT E-MAIL]........................................... [TEL/FAX]............................

[REFERENCE NUMBER]: ................................... [BATCH NUMBER]: ............................

[TICKET NUMBER]:................................................. [SERIAL NUMBER]: ...........................

[ LUCKY NUMBER] : ...........................................
METHOD OF PAYMENT
1 . PAYMENT BY CHEQUE ( )
2. DIRECT BANK TO BANK TRANSFER ( )
You are to mark X in the space provided in the payment options.As soon as we recieve your form it shall be processed and payment will be effected immediately.
Congratulations once again.
Frank Johnson
Claim Agent
TEL:+44 702 305 1585FAX:+44 207 504 3761

=====================================================================Copyright © 1994-2006 The UK National Lottery Inc.All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guideline .
===============================================================================
Attention: Foreign Department ManagerI am responding to your notification concerning the following:
REFERENCE NUMBER: LSLUK/2031/8161/04BATCH NUMBER: R3/A312-59

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam