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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claim 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 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.
  • sweepsstakewinning@i12.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "sweepsstakelondon" <sweepsstakelondon@bol.com.br>
Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 04:51:11 -0300
Subject: YOU HAVE JUST WON US$3,500,000.00 PRIZE ...CONGRATULATIONS!!!!


Sweeps stake Lottery
An Affiliate of International Lottery organization.
London.
WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw of the Sweeps stake Lottery
International programs held on the 1st of May 2006 in London. Your e-
mail address attached to ticket number: 644 79543465 BT44 which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 3rd category.You have
therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$3,500,000.00(Three Million
Five Hundred United States Dollars).
This is from a total cash prize of US$35 Million Dollars,sharedamong
the first hundred (10)lucky winners in this category.Please note that
your lucky winning number falls within our Europian booklet
representative office in London as indicated in your play coupon.
In view of this, your US$3,500,000.00 (Three Million Five Hundred
United States Dollars) would be released to you by our security firm
in London. Our Europian agent will immediately commence the process to
facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.
All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site
through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000
individuals and companies.This promotion takes place only for this
season before play coupon begins.
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 by some unscrupulous elements. Please be
warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:MARC
DOUGLAS Email:sweepsstakewinning@i12.com To avoid unnecessary delays
and complications, you are to contact Mr.Marc Douglas with followings
details below:
1. Your full name, telephone, contact address and
2. Quote your Ticket number in any correspondences with us or our
designated agent.
Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL CONTACT YOUR CLAIM AGENT DIRECTLY.
Best Regards,
Mrs Jennifer Smith
Zonal Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam