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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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)
  • "cheques " (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.
  • +447023052188 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: marvin stuart <agentmarvinstuart71@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:40:25 +0100 (BST)
Subject: FILL OR TYPE OUT THE VERIFICATION FORM BELOW AND SEND BACK VIA eMAIL


Attention Winner,
I received your mail and have been informed that you are one of the winners of our FREE LOTTERY PROMOTION, INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT, of the sum of One million One Hundred and Eighty Thousand pounds sterling. You are to provide the following information to facilitate your claim:
1. A duly completed Prize Award Verification & Payment
Form to enable this office verifiy, process, approve
and have your cheque and winning Certificate couriered
to you by postal mail.
2. Your prefered mode of payment.
The requested information will enable us verify and refer you to our affiliated courier company or Bank. On receipt of your duly completed Prize Award Verification Form, I'll then email you the contact details of our affiliate courier company/Bank Transfer, so that your wining Certificate and Cheques can be sent to you by postal mail/Bank Transfer.
I strongly advise you to adhere and comply to the instructions above in order to avoid disqualification of your claim.
Note that it is against the policies of this program for any staff of this program to involve in any matter relating to our client's claim. So you are advised not to suggest any kind of involvement to any of our staffs that may attract dis-qualification of your prize claim.
The attached Prize Award Verification & Payment Form Draft is below which you will fill out and return by email to this office.For further explaination call me on +447023052188
Once again, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Yours faithfully,
Mr Marvin Stuart.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
FREE LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM.
Address: 74 CRANBOUNE ROAD LIVERPOOL
COUNTRY: UNITED KINGDOM

PRIZE AWARD VERIFICATION FORM
PERSONAL DETAILS:
NAME(MR.MRS.MS.):.....................................................................
COMPANY NAME: (IF APPLICABLE)...............................................
ADDRESS:....................................................................................
CITY:...........................................................................................
ZIP CODE:...................................................................................
TEL:.............................................................................................
FAX:...........................…...............................................................
HOME TEL:.....…...........................................................................
EMAIL ADDRESS:...................…....................................................
OCCUPATION:...............................…............................................
MARITAL STATUS:............................................…..........................
DATE OF BIRTH:...........................................................................
PRIZE WINNINGDETAILS:
TICKET#:.....................................................................................
NAME OF AGENT#:.......................................................................
PAYMENT OPTIONS (CHOOSE AND TICK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS BELOW:
1. PHYSICAL COLLECTION:.....................
2. BANK TRANSFER:................................

3. COURIER SERVICES:..........................

POSTAL MAILING ADDRESS:(WHERE THE CHEQUE AND PRIZE WINNING CERTIFICATE WILL BE COURIERED
TO):..........................................................................
NAME OF RECEIVER:....................................................................
DECLARATION:I,...............................................................HEREBY DECLARE THAT I HAVE NEVER RECIEVED ANY SETTLEMENT FROM FREE LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION NOR ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY FILLED CLAIM ON MY BEHALF TO FREE LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION. I, THEREFORE AUTHORIZE, FREE LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION TO ACT ON MY BEHALF IN THE PROCESSING AND SEND MY PRIZE AS INSTRUCTED BY ME.
SIGNATURE(TYPE IN YOUR NAMES):..............................................
DATE:....................…......
NOTE: THIS VERIFICATION FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETELY FILLED OUT AND RETURN WITHIN 48HOURS OF RECEIPT OF THIS FORM.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam