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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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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")
• 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.
  • +447024082496 (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.
  • seanwilliams001@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "british national lottery" <theboard_032@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:01:19 -0400
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION FOR ONLINE DRAW



REF#:UK/9420X2/68

BATCH:#074/05/ZY369
BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY
The Marina Offices,
St Peters Yacht Basin,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1HX
England.
TEL: +447024082496
21/08/2006

Our Ref: 27349/46

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw of the BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY Internet
Sweepstakes International programs held on the 18th of august 2006 at our
Lotto Draw Headquarters London UK. Your e-mail address attached to ticket
number: 00545 188 564756 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:
5 7 13 15 19 45 38 which subsequently proclaimed you a lottery jackpot
winner. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 1,000,000
GBP (one million pounds sterlings)in cash
credited to email file ktu/9023118308/03, please take note.

For security reasons you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims have been 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 fiduciary agent designated to your file stating your
winning details -
Mr sean William
seanwilliams001@yahoo.co.uk

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers 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. All winners under the age of 16 are disqualified,
please take note.

Yours Sincerely,

vaughn jones
British National Lottery Co-ordinator.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam