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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:

• 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")
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • brianwilliams@email.nu (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "carol adkins" <caroladkins19@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 23:55:09 +0000
Subject: YOU HAVE JUST WON $3.5M LOTTERY- CONGRATULATIONS-CONTACT BRIAN WILLIAMS

Euro - Afro Asian Sweepstake Lottery
an Affiliate of International Lottery organizationLondon.
WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw of the Euro -Afro Asian
SweepstakeLottery International programs held on the 1st of December 2005 in
London. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 64479543465 B44 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 thousand United States
Dollars).This is
from a total cash prize of US$30.5 Million Dollars, shared amongst the
first hundred (10)lucky winners in this category.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European
booklet representative office in Spain as indicated in your play coupon.
In view of this, your US$3,500,000.00 (Three
Million Five Hundred thousand United States Dollars) would be released
to You by our security firm in London.

Our European 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:
BRIAN WILLIAMS, Email: brianwilliams@email.nu
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, you are to contact
Mr. Brian Williams 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.
Congratulations, once more from all members and staffs of this program.

Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL CONTACT YOUR CLAIM AGENT DIRECTLY.
Best Regards,
Mrs. Carol Adkins
EURO-AFRO-ASIAN Zonal Coordinator.
Reply to : brianwilliams@email.nu

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam