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

Fraud email example:

From: "GRENSON ALEX" <grensonalex@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 07:24:24 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATION...YOU HAVE......WON(&# 978,250,000)

UK ONLINE NOTIFICATION DESK.
GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED!!
UKONLINE?INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY
IS REGISTERED UNDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT OF;
(Registration Z720633X).
 

UK National Lottery            
P O Box 1010          
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X/05  
Batch: 074/05/ZY369


                                            WINNING NOTIFICATION        
We happily announce to you the draw (#978) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held on 5th April, 2006. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 5647560054 188 with Serial number 5368/02 jack pot lotto winners drew the lucky numbers-02-06-21-34-35-49-(46-)"bonus no 46. which subsequently won"you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 5 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of  &#163;250.000 (two hundred and fifty  thousand  pound sterling)  in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03 in a total sum of &#163;1,000,000 (one million pounds sterlings) lotto jackpot shared amongst the  first four (4) lucky winners in this category i.e. Match 5 plus! Bonus with percentage  16.9%  .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 that are listed online. This promotion takes place weekly.Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our London booklet representative office in London as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your  &#163;250,000 (two hundred and fifty  thousand pound sterling) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in London.Our fiduciary 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 claims 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.
For payment, please do provide with the following informations: And
send to our Fiduciary Agent.
 
YOUR FULLNAME:..........................................
YOUR SEX:...............................................
YOUR ADDRESS:...........................................
YOUR COUNTRY:...........................................
YOUR FAX:...............................................
YOUR PHONE NUMBER:......................................
YOUR OCCUPATION:........................................
YOUR COMPANY'S NAME:....................................
YOUR AGE:...............................................
YOUR REF NUMBER:........................................
 
Name: Mr Brooks Mel

Email:agent_brooksmel@yahoo.co.uk
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY FIDUCIARY AGENT
 
CONGRATULATIONS  from me and members of staff of the UK NATIONAL
LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully,
Brain Hunt.
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program
NATIONAL LOTTERY
Brain Hunt Controller
GeoTrust SSL Reseller

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam