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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:

• 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")
• 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.
  • +447091957502 (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.
  • paymentcenteruk01@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "promotions uk satke national lottery" <sharon_smith1a@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 14:17:36 +0100
Subject: ***YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT WON*****

P.O.BOX 1010
LIVERPOOL,
UNITED KINGDOM.
Ref: UK/9410DA32/06
Batch: 12/28/DA32

We announce to you the draw (#1038) of the UK Stake draw/Promotions held on
the 10th of July, 2006 in Liverpool UK, THE UNITED KINGDOM INTERNATIONAL
PROGRAMMES, Your email address was attached to ticket number
36475600545-187UK, with serial number 9318/14 drew The lucky numbers
18-06-20-14-64-11-05, and consequently Won you the lottery in the 2nd
category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of £1,000,000:00 (GBP)
in cash credited to file REF NO: UK/9410DA32/06. This is from total prize
money of £8,000,000.00 (GBP) shared among the Eight International winners in
this category.
All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Website through
computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies as part of
International Promotions Program conducted annually. Please note that your
lucky winning number falls within our European booklet
representative office in Europe. In view of this, your £1,000,000.00 (GBP)
will be released to you by any of our preferred payment center in Europe.

Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of
your winnings as soon as you contact the payment centre.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims is processed and your winnings 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 people. Please be warned.

As part of the lottery program, to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous
acts by participants of this program. Your prize is deposited safely with
security banking firm here in United Kingdom.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary claim Agent;

ALEX THOMPSON
Email: paymentcenteruk01@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: +44 709 195 7502
LOTTERY FIDUCIARY AGENT

For due processing and remittance of your prize, please remember to quote
your Reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with
your claim agent.
Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than the 30th of July,
2006. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.
Furthermore, should there be any changes of your address do inform your
claim agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our
promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,
Sharon Smith
Zonal Co-ordinator

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam