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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")
  • "hundred thousand 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!
• 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.
  • mlawson_fidduciaryagent@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MRS JULIET JOHNSON <mlawson_fidduciaryagent@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 5 Jan 2007 20:01:18 -0000
Subject: STATES-LOTTERY (WINNING NOTIFICATION)

Content-Type: text/plain

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit






STATES-LOTTERY Headquarters:

Customer Service

Ref: UK/9420X2/68

Batch: 074/05/ZY369





WINNING NOTIFICATION:



We happily announce to you the draw of the STATES-LOTTO Sweepstake Online Lottery International programs held on the 5th of January,2007 in London Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:19-6-26-17-35-7, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$2,500,000.00 (Two million,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file EAL/9023118308/03.



This is from a total cash prize of US $ 25 Million dollars, shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners in this category All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 email users on the internet.



This promotion takes place annually Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our African booklet representative office in Africa as indicated in your play coupon.In view of this,your US$2,500,000.00 (Two million,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) would be released to you by our payment office in Africa.



Our African 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 by some unscrupulous elements.Please be warned.To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary



AGENT:MR MICHAEL LAWSON

Email:mlawson_fidduciaryagent@yahoo.co.uk



To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote:----



1.FULL NAME:



2.MAIL ADDRESS:



3.COUNTRY:



4.SEX:



5.AGE:



6.OCCUPATION:



7.PRIVATE TELEPHONE & FAX NUMBER:



8.REF. NUMBER:



9.BATCH NUMBER:



10.TICKET NUMBER:



11.SERIAL NUMBER:



12.WINNING CATEGORY:



13.PHOTOGRAPH



etc in any correspondences with us or our designated agent. Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.



WARNING: Remember all winning must be claimed not later than ten (10) working days starting from the day of the promotion. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.



Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to disqualification.



ANYONE BELOW EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE CAN MAKE HIS/ HER CLAIM IN PROXY THROUGH EITHER OF THE PARENTS.





Sincerely,

MRS JULIET JOHNSON.

STATES- LOTTO Co-ordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam