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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:
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: prizeclaims prizeclaims <prizeclaims006@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2006 10:33:30 +0100 (BST)
Subject: PAYMENT OPTION



The Camelot Group,:
Operators of The National Lottery.
3b Olympic Way, Sefton Business Park,
Aintree, Liverpool , L30 1RD


ATTENTION:Winner,
We hereby inform you that we have processed your payment and your cheque is ready for disbursement, along with your winnings certificate. In this regard you are to choose from the options below the one that best suites you on how you wish to receive your funds, also your funds deposited with us is not in liquid form but in Bank Cheque, this advice complies with the Anti-Fraud section 2,sub section (iv) of the procedural manual of the funds disbursement agreement existing between courier companies and the European Union Government.

1. Travel in person to collect your funds at our payment centers in Ireland,UK. You will be required to present a valid International Passport as proof of Identification.

2. Have our affiliate courier company send the cheque to you. In consonance with our policy in this regard, be advised that if you opt for the cheque to be couriered, The Lottery Board will however exempts itself from all related to this service. The cost of this service would be borne by you; this is a prerequisite for this option. You will be referred to our affiliate courier company so that you can make enquires concerning modalities, and charges. The reason for the courier option is to avoid double taxation, that is if you are to come over to sign for the release of your winnings personally, you would have to pay taxes on the winnings over here and then go and pay taxes on the same winnings in your country once the funds get there.

This is the main reason why we would advise that you take the courier option, you have not collected the winnings until you sign for it and the only way you can sign for it via courier is when you have taken delivery of the parcel containing the winnings cheque and certificate of winning.


We expect that you will notify us of your choice upon receipt of this message so that appropriate arrangement can be put in place.



Regards,
Mr. Fred Martins.
*PAYMENT DIVISION FOR ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam