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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: EURO MILLIONS <prizeprocessingcentre2007@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:16:59 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: {Disarmed} VERIFICATION PARTICULARS NEEDED TO PROCEED


MRS ELIZABETH WALTER
EURO MILLIONS
Watford, Head Office and Regional Centre Euro Millions,
Tolpits Lane, Watford, Herts, WD18 9RN
REF NO: EML/ 56-TF-8890776,
BATCH NO: 109/91300/EML

Dear Ms Bachzer,

Good day to you and congratulations on your Bonus Lottery Winning. This is our annual online random draw taken from different websites across the globe, thus your email address was selected to be one of the lucky winners.The draw was conducted from an exclusive list of 250,000,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer ballot search from the internet as part of our international program which we conduct every year.No tickets were sold.After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address was selected to be one of the lucky winners

We are forwarding to you a verification form, this is to enable us have your records,in other to process your documents.Note,you will fill and return to us so that necessary verification can commence. In order to verify your winnings, we need your particulars for record purposes and proper documentation.Your funds will be released shortly to you as long as you follow the neccessary proccedures, please fill accordingly so as to proceed with your winnings. Below is a copy of our verification form, please fill and quote accordingly. (Return via e-mail)

Once again congratulations from all the staffs.

VERIFICATION PARTICULARS
KTU/9901-0148-790-691

1. FULL NAMES:______________________________________________

2. DATE OF BIRTH: ___________________________________________

3. SEX:______________________________________________________

4. MARITAL STATUS:___________________________________________

5.CONTACT ADDRESS: __________________________________________

6.TELEPHONE NUMBER: ____________________________________

7.OCCUPATION:_______________________________________

8.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL: ___________________________________

9.EMAIL ADDRESS:_________________________

10.AMOUNT WON:________________________________________

Upon receipt of the duly requested data, we will be sending you information, on how you can proceed with effecting the release of your prize.

Warm Regards
Mr. Mark Forrester
Fiduciary Agent/ Logistic Officer.
22/01/2007.





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam