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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• 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:
  • "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 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.
  • mrsfowler_agencys@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "SHELL LOTTERY" <shellxoxz1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: info_lottos101@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 04:43:29 -0400
Subject: LOTTERY CLAIMS

SHELL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL.

UN-CLAIMED DEPARTMENT.
CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER.
WORLD LOTTERY.
Ref: SHL/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369.
DATE: 22nd June 2006.


AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE.

ATTENTION: LUCKY WINNERS

I am MRS ELIZERBETH FOWLER, the prize director representing the Shell
International Lottery Corporation's Un-Claimed Department. On June 20th,
2006 at approximately 3:45pm, I tried contacting you, but unfortunately was
unable to get a hold of you. The main reason for electronically mailing you
this letter is to inform you of the reason for my call. Every year we
receive over 5,000 entry forms from different lottery players from around
the world. Precisely speaking, I was just looking at our network to find out
that you were selected as a prize winner on November 24th, 2004 and you
havn't claimed your winnings, for the sum of US US$2.500,000.00. Usually
when a winner doesn't claim their money there should be a note that says why
the winner has not claimed their money, and the client file will be closed.
So I am mailing in regards to know why you have not made any effort to claim
your money. You have US$2.500,000.00 sitting here, waiting for you. I dont
know why somebody will wait that long to claim their money?? To elaborate
more, this draw was held in LONDON, where our head office is located.
Moreover, if we did not hear from you within 3 weeks from the day this
letter was sent, your file will close and you will no longer be able to
claim your winnings. Our main payment office is located in BENIN. This is
where you will be receiving your amount of winnings US$2.500,000.00 DOLLARS
from. Nevertheless, according to the federal and international law
concerning the personal collection of prize winnings, your bonding fees,
broker fees, and tarrif fees, have already been deducted from your winnings.
So congratulations once again.

When is a better time to get a hold of you. Due to security precautions, we
advise that you keep your winning information confidential until your claim
has been processed . YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED IF YOU ARE BELOW 20
YEARS OF AGE.


NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and Lot numbers in every correspondence
with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do
inform your claim agent as soon as possible. Congratulations once again from
all members of our staff and thank you for being a part of our promotional
program.


Congratulations from me and members of staff of THE INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY.

Sincerely yours,

Philip Darcourt
Operational Director ( EAASSL)

N/B:

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONS, CONTACT YOUR LOTTERY AGENTS
FOWLER & ADAMS AGENCY
CONTACT: MRS ELIZERBETH FOWLER / PROF. RAPHAEL ADAMS
ADD: 37 GREYSTOCK ROAD CAMBRIDGE CB1 8DS UNITED KINGDOM
EMAIL: mrsfowler_agencys@yahoo.co.uk

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam