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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary 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.
  • +447031942690 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448709127423 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: LOTTERY OFFICE <lotterycompany75@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 09:23:10 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Lottery Payment Advise


Attn:Sir,

I am Mrs.Kelly Wade the fiduciary agent assigned to your winning. I
wish to Congratulate you on your victory, you are a lucky person to have
won this lottery.

Your email address was amongst those chosen this quarter from our new
java-based software that randomly selects email addresses from the web
from which winners are selected. You are required to forward the
following details to help facilitate the processing of your claims and
certificate which will facilitate the release of your winnings funds to you.

1. Full names.
2.Telephone and fax number.
3. Occupation.
4. Sex.
5. Age.
6. Nationality.
7.Reference number.
8.Batch number.
9.Employer.
10.Marital status.
11.Contact address.

You are advised to forward this information as soon as possible to
enable us attend to your winnings. Our Finance company has been contacted
to handle payments on your behalf, once we confirm your information,
your payments would be processed.

Everything was done in such a way that our payments mode would meet the
standards set by the Lottery boards.After you have sent down these
information, a certificate will be prepared for you. This is to be your
proof of winning from this office to the payment center before they
release your funds.

You are advised to keep your winning numbers secret to avoid
unscrupulous elements from taking advantage of the situation.

Forward the photo page of your international passport/drivers licence
and return to this office via our below fax number or this mail as
attachment to enable us expedite action regarding your winning payment.

Once again, congratulations.

Sincerely,

Mrs Kelly Wade.
3b Olympic Way,
Sexton Business Park,
Aintree, Liverpool, L30 1RD
UNITED KINGDOM
tel #:+44-703-1942690.
tel #:+44-703-1917488.
fax #:+44-870-9127423.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam