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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "urban lottery international"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million us 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 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.
  • +2348033597230 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mikeokoroxyz@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: URBAN LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL <urbanlottopromo001@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: mikeokoroxyz@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 01:07:20 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Contact your claim agent


FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
GREEN JOHNSON (URBAN LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL)PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REF NO: 15/0018/IPD
BATCH NO: EGS/ 22504002/04
DEAR WINNER,

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE.
We are pleased to inform you, that as a result of our RECENT LOTTERY
DRAWS HELD on the 27th of July. 2006.Your e-mail address attached to
ticket number:085-12876077-09 with serial number:51390-0 drew lucky
numbers:03-05-12-14-38 which consequently won in the 5th category.

you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of (ONE MILLION
US DOLLARS ONLY) in cash credited to file with
REF:EGS/3662367114/13.Note that all participants in this lottery program have been selected
randomly through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 Officials
and 30,000,000 individual email addresses from all search engines and
web sites,from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South
America, Middle East and Africa, as part of our International Promotions
Program.

This promotional program takes place every year,and is promoted and
sponsored by eminent personalities like the Sultan of Brunei,Bill Gates
of microsoft inc and other corporate organizations.

This is to encourage the use of the internet and computers
worldwide.Your fund is now deposited with Union Bank Nigeria Plc and insured in
your name.

For security purpose and clarity,we advise that you keep your winning
information confidential until your claims have been processed and your
money remitted to your account.This is part of our security protocol to
avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this program by ome
participants.We look forward to your active participation in our next 4
million dollars slot.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your claims
agent through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below:

REV.DR MIKE OKORO
E MAIL: mikeokoroxyz@yahoo.com
Tel : +234-8033597230

CALL HIM IMMEDIATELY WITH HIS ABOVE DIRECT PHONE NUMBER.
When you contact him, please provide him with your secret BATCH
Numbers,SERIAL Numbers.You are also advised to provide him with the
under listed information as soon as possible:

1. Name in full
2. Address
3. Nationality
4. Age
5. Occupation
6. Phone

All winnings must be claimed not later than one month After the date
of
this notice.Please note,in order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications,remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers
in all correspondence. furrthermore,should there be any change of
address do inform our agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations!!!once more and thank you for being part of our
promotional program.

Bear it in mind that 10% of your fund will be going to the urban
lottery after you must have received the fund into your account.
Sincerely,

MR.GREEN JOHNSON.
VICE PRESIDENT.
URBAN LOTTERY.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam