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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • +447024072366 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.PETER MOORE" <fiduciaryagent_claims_office@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 10:25:53 +0100 (BST)
Subject: GRANDPRIZE LOTTERY WINNERS CLAIMS FORM.


Ticket Number 278511465896-6452
Ref: Number: 132/756/4534
Batch Number: 638901527-AMB/02
Serial Number : 3772-554


Attn:Madras House,
Congratulations on your recent Winnings. We acknowledge receipt of your mail, and we'd like to assure you again that your winning is real. This programme was designed to encourage the use of the internet in developing nations, but presently we are now involving all the continents in the world. Winners are normally picked from the internet depending on the volume of their usage. It also counts possitively if you are on the internet especially when our computer balloting is taking place.

Some major computer companies in the world contributed to this programme, with little contributions also from the United Nations. The programme is recognized and regulated by the enabling Laws of lottery in the United Kingdom and also of various countries of the European union.

Our Payment procedure had been grouped into three Payment Zones, {Europe, Asia and Africa}. And we are glad to inform you that you have been zoned to our Europe Office for payment. Our Europe Payment Offices are in London and Amsterdam and all Winners are required to Notarize their Winnings in the zone they are grouped into before their Particulars will be approved and their Files transferred to our Payment Finance House in Europe within 72hrs of reciept of their information.

Please fill in your information on the CLAIMS COLUMN below to enable us proccess your Winning Claims.

GRAND PRIZE LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, LONDON UK.
WINNERS CLAIMS FORM.

1, YOUR FULLNAME: ..........................................
2, YOUR SEX: ......................................................
3, YOUR ADDRESS: .............................................
4, YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER: ..........................
5, YOUR FAX NUMBER: .......................................
6, YOUR OCCUPATION: ........................................
7, YOUR COMPANY'S NAME: ...............................
8, YOUR AGE: ......................................................

We would like to know how you want to receive your Prize Won. Please choose from the following options below.

WINNER'S TRANSFER OPTIONS.
The options for payment are either of the following:

1. Direct Wire Transfer into your personal Bank account: Here, you will be required to Notarize your Winning in the High Court as a non uk resident, and then you will also be required by the bank to open an Account with them locally, so that your local account can be credited with the Prize Value and subsequently, you will be expected to make your own direct Wire Transfer to your personal Oversee designated Account.

2. Your cheque (cashier cheque) will be Notarized in the High Court here in London as a non uk resident, and sent to your resident address by courier service. You are to Insure your draft with an Insurance Company before it can be sent to you.

3. If you are from ASIA, Your Winnings will be Notarized in the High Court here in London as a non uk resident, and you will be required to travel and meet with our agent in DUBAI or INDIA to claim your Prize in cash.

Now, with this information supplied by you, we will be able to create your records in our data base of winners and begin proccessing of your Winning claims.

On behalf of our entire Staff and sponsors, I wish to congratulate you once again.

Peter Moore.
Fiduciary Agent,
GRANDPRIZE LOTTERY PROMOTIONS.
Tel:+44 702 407 2366.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam