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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.
• 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.
  • +447031901975 (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.
  • bthrufinsecltd@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: ukchoice06 <zango@zthomas.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 17:21:47 +0100 (CET)
Subject: +++You have won in the Christmas email lucky draws+++



Attn Winner,

We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer balloting held on 29th October 2006. This is a
Millennium Scientific Computer Game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging
internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay
out of £2,500,000 in cash, which is the winning payout for First category winners. This is from the total prize money of
£66,500,000.00 shared among the seven winners in the First category.

To claim your winning prize you are to contact the appointed agent as soon as possible for the immediate release of your
winnings:

MR.THOMAS DUCAN
MANAGER BROKERAGE SERVICE
BREAKTHRU FINANCE/SECURITIES LTD.
Email:bthrufinsecltd@yahoo.com.hk
TEL: +44-703-190-1975

Ref No: ZMA=424X-23P1-MNG
Batch No: QN45-RSA
Ticket No: TWMT/1800/806
Lucky No: 14,19,35, 29, 34,12, 49.
Serial No: 491-12

You must contact the appointed agent with your Full Names and Age, Contact Telephone and fax Numbers,Your address and a copy
of any identification document of yours via email to process the immediate payment of your prize.
The Validity period of the winnings is for 10 working days hence you are expected to make your cla ims immediately.
Once again congratulations !!!

Sincerely,
MRS.CYNTHIA RIONEY
THE LOTTO AWARDS MANAGER,
UKCHIOCE LOTTERY INC.

Your email address has won in our lottery draws
Congratulations Ensure to contact the paying agent

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam