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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.
  • +447031861392 (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.
  • payment_centerlondon@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "INTERNATIONAL UK LOTTERY" <payment_centerlondon@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2006 16:02:34 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!! you are a winner.

"The International Lottery Promotion
P.O.Box 17,
Kempsford GL7 4WZ
Liverpool House
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)


TICKET NUMBER: 74454774
SERIAL NUMBER: 144-66584
BATCH NUMBER : BT-4478474121P

FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#999) of the UK INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY,
online Sweepstakes International program held on the 30th of April 2006. You
were entered as dependent clients with: SERIAL NUMBER: 144-66584 and Batch
number BT-4478474121P.

Your email address attached to the ticket number: 74454774 that drew the
lucky winning numbers:


Bonus Ball [38] which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e
match 5 plus bonus. You have been approved for a payment of £800,000.00
(EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING.) in cash credited to file reference
number: UKL/K5998/U4. This is from a total cash prize of Eight million pounds
shared among the ten international winners in
first categories.


All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
50,000 (Fifty thousand) names of email users around the world, as part of our
international promotion program. Due to mixed up of some names and addresses,
we ask that you keep this award personal, till your claims has been processed
and your funds remitted to you.This is part of our security measures to avoid
double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of the situation by other
participants or impersonators,You are to contact our accredited agent for your
winnings.

ALEX FITZGERALD
UNITED KINGDOM LOTTERY CLAIMS AGENT.
UK INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY SECURITY AGENCY.
e mail payment_centerlondon@yahoo.com
Tel:+447031861392


He is your agent, and responsible for the processing and transfer of your
winnings to you. YOUR SECURITY FILE NUMBER IS Z-90237-Y°67/U4 (keep personal)
Remember, your winnings must be claimed not later than (21st of May 2006).

Our Lottery agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your funds as soon as you contact him. You may wish to establish
contact via e-mail with the particulars presented above citing the batch and
reference numbers to this letter.

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press
anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be
further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the
end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and
unwarranted abuse of this program.

Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY.


Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Mary Robert

Online coordinator for UK INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.
Copyright © 1994-2006 The UK National Lottery Inc."

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam