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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
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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:
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +447075727625 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447024063133 (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.
  • uh_pricewatercooper@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "National Lottery Program Powerball bv" <powerball_bv12@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 12:45:52 +0100
Subject: YOU HAVE WON 500,000.00 GBP(FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS)

POWERBALL LOTTERY BV
28 TANFIELD ROAD,
CROYDON.UK
Ref Nr: PBL/CN/6654/CP
Coupon No PBL/2348974321

WINNING NOTIFICATION
You have won 500,000.00 pounds from National lottery Program/Powerball
Lottery bv. We Congratulate you as one of the Twenty Five winners 0n the
Lottery draw of the Powerball Lotto International programs held on the 30th
of May, 2006 in UK. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 564
75600545-188 with Serial number 5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 17 -21 -25
-27 -30 -37- 16 which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd
category.You are therefore, been approved to claim a total sum of
500,000.00GBP (five hundred thousand, Pounds sterling) in cash credited to
file PC/9080118308/02. Your lucky winning number falls within our European
booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in our draw coupon. In
view of this, your 500, 000.00GBP (five hundred thousand,Pounds Sterling)
would be released to you by our affilliate banks.

This Program is sponsored by Microsoft, European Computer Manufacturers
Association and supported by MCAUK (The Messenger Courier Association of
the United Kingdom). Powerball BV Electronic draw is held once in a year and
it is organized to encourage the use of internet in the developing
countries. Winners are usually picked from the Internet depending on their
usage and chances of winning is based on if you were on the Internet when
our computer balloting is taking place. All participants were selected
randomly from World Wide Web site through Microsoft electronic ballot system
extracted from over 100,000 companies. This promotion takes place annually
and for security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
to yourself till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in
Cheque or Certified International Bank Draft. This is part of our
precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this
program by some unscrupulous elements. Be warned.

To file in your claims, contact Our Overseas Claims Unit via:

Union-homes Pricewatercooper Ltd
(Overseas Claims Unit )

United Kingdom Lottery Fiduciary
Contact Person: Walter Smith
Email: uh_pricewatercooper@yahoo.co.uk
Tel, +44-7024063133, +44-7024071334
Fax, +447075727625

To avoid delays in processing and remittance of your prize to you, please
remember to quote your reference number and winning details.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Dorothy Spencer,
Online coordinator POWERBALL LOTTO International Program.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam