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

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Linda Moore" <award_claimagent@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2007 08:28:55 GMT
Subject: CONGRATULATION AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION?

BRITISH LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS:
Customer Service
28 TANFIELD ROAD,
CROYDON.LONDON
Ref:BTL/4910X1/04
Batch: 12/25/0340
Date:20/1/2007

PRIZE-WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw of the BRITISH
Sweepstake Lottery nternational programs held on the 9TH
January 2007 in London.Your e-mail address attached to
ticket number:69475600545-721 with Serial number 8867/04
drew the lucky numbers:31-6-26-13-35-7,which subsequently
won you the lottery in the 2nd category.You are
therefore,been approved to claim a total sum of
US$2,500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred thousand, United
StatesDollars) in cash credited to file
KPC/9080118308/02.This is from a total cash prize of US $125
Million dollars, shared amongst the first Fifty (50) lucky
winners in this category.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our
European booklet
representative office in Europe as indicated in our play
coupon. In view
of this, your US$2,500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred
thousand,United
tates Dollars) would be released to you by our affiliate
bank in London.Our
agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate
the release of your funds to you as soon as you make contact
with her.

All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web
site through computer draw system and extracted from over
100,000 companies.This promotion takes place annually. 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 a 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 with the below
details for processing of your claims.

AGENT: Mr. Richard Bong,
Email: award_claimagent@yahoo.co.uk,

Please do provede the fellowing information( claim
Verification Form) fill

and submit back via: (award_claimagent@yahoo.co.uk )
FULL NAMES OF BENEFICIARY:...........................
CONTACT ADDRESS:.....................................
CITY/STATE:.......................................
COUNTRY:.......................................
NATIONALITY:...................................
SEX:....................... AGE:..............
MARITAL STATUS...............................
TEL:................... FAX:......................
NEXT OF KIN:......................................
ANNUAL INCOME:...................................
AMOUNT WON:......................................
REFENCE NO:................BATCH NO:...............
LUCKY NO:................TICKET NO..............
SERIAL NO:. ................ LOTTERY DATE:..........

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications,please quote
your reference/batch
numbers 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.

Sincerely,
Mrs Linda Moore.
BRITISH LOTTERY ZONAL ONLINE CO-ORDINATOR

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam