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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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.
  • +447092870568 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447024034397 (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.
  • releasedepartment@yahoo.co.uk
  • info_claimsgnt@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: Angelina Woodgate <prizeawarddepartment@uknationational-lottery.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2006 16:25:38 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Congratulations! Your E-mail Address Won In Our Online Lottery
Sweepstakes.







The UK National Lottery,
P.O.Box 200,
Harrogate,
HG1 2YR,
England,
United Kingdom.

WINNING INFORMATIONS:
Ref: UKNL/809/06
Batch: C/02/36
Draw Date: 27/9/2006

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the Draw (#671) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online International UK National Lottery program held on Wednesday 27th, September 2006.

Your e-mail address attached to Ticket Number: 78945327856619 with Serial number 445/02 drew the Winning Numbers:09,11,18,30,37,38(bonus No.12), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. Match 3 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £1,750,000.00 (One Million Seven Hundred And Fifty Thousand Pounds sterling) in cash credited to your file. This is from a total cash prize of £20,350,000.00,shared amongst the Winners with different amount won in this category i.e. Match 3 plus bonus.

All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies and individuals that were listed online. This promotion takes place weekly.
Your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your £1,750,000.00 (One Million Seven Hundred And Fifty Thousand Pounds sterling) will be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.

Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is 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. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, Please contact our Fiduciary Agent for VALIDATION.
*******************************************************************
Mr Anthony Flower.
Foreign Service Manager,
Claims and Release Order Department,
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.
ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: + 447024034397
Fax: +447092870568
Email:releasedepartment@yahoo.co.uk
Email:info_claimsgnt@yahoo.co.uk

********************************************************************

In line with our claims validation and verification, do endeavour to email them the following information for immediate processing, verification and legalization of claims in order for payment to be made to you as required, in accordance with our payout policy.

Full Name:
Mobile:
Amount Won:
REF NUMBER:
WINNING NUMBER:
TICKET.NUMBER:

Congratulations from me and members of staff of THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully,
Angelina Woodgate (Mrs)
Online Coordinator for THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Congratulations! Your E-mail Address Won In Our Online Sweepstakes.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam