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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
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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million united states dollars" (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!

Fraud email example:

From: "ROYAL LOTTERY" <rslpuk_56@rediffmail.com>
Date: 30 Nov 2006 14:02:30 -0000
Subject: CONTACT YOUR CLAIM AGENT


ROYAL STRIDE PROMO LOTTERY,ENGLAND.FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENTREF: RSL/223457108/04BATCH: 24/00319/IPDATTENTION: WINNINGS NOTIFICATIONWe are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, of winnersof the VICTUAL WIN PROMO LOTTERY,ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMSheld on 20th of November 2006.You are attached to ticket number 342-688-0563, with serial number 4661-56 drew the lucky numbers 20-16-44-57-65-121, and consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of US$2,000,000.00 (Two Million United States Dollars) in cash,credited to file REF NO. RSL/223457108/04. This is from total prize money of US$20,400,000.00 shared among the seventeeninternational winners in this category.All participants were selected through a computer ballot systemdrawn from 25,000 names from Australia,New Zealand, America,Europe, North America,Africa and Asia as part of InternationalPromotions Program, which is conducted
annually.CONGRATULATIONS!Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program. To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent; Mr Adam Small, email: adamsmall4ever@yahoo.comFor due processing and remittance of your prize money please send down your Telephone and Fax nos. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 20th December 2006. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every of your correspondence with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions pr
ogram.Sincerely,John WoodsTHE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,ROYAL STRIDE PROMO LOTTERY, ENGLAND.N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part ofthe winners will result in disqualification

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam