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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:
  • "claims 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 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.
  • +447045708157 (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.
  • claimurpromo1@yahoo.co.uk
  • claimurpromo3@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "YAHOO PROMOTION" <WEBDNXIEV401@prodigy.net>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 17:22:35 -0800
Subject: Winner

Dear Winner,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the
YAHOO! International Promotions Program held on the
11th of Feburary 2007. Your e-mail address attached
to ticket number 883734657492-5319 with serial number
7263-267, batch number 8254297137 drew the lucky
numbers 14-22-28-37-40-44 which consequently won in
the 1st category, you have therefore been approved
for a lump sum pay out of £100,000.00 (i.e one
Hundred Thousand United Kingdom Pounds)in cash
credited to file REF:YAHOO6/315116127/27.

This is from total prize money of US$10,400,000.00
shared among the seventeen international winners in
this category.Please note that this Promotional
Programmes tagged "Thanks for contributing to our
financial Sucess" was sponsored and organized by the
Yahoo Corporation in view of the financial benefits
YAHOO have received from its numerous customers
either through adverts, hosting and personal
emails.To file for your claims,please contact your
claims agent immediately, to begin your claimsprocess:

MR SMITH LEE
REMMITANCE DIRECTOR
YAHOO PROMOTIONS UK
44 Moorfields London EC2Y 9AL UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: (+44) 7045708157
Email: contact claimurpromo1@yahoo.co.uk or
claimurpromo3@yahoo.co.uk
You are to contact him with the following
informations: Your Full Names, Your Contact Address,
Your Telephone and Fax numbers, Occupation, Sex, Age
and Location. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Your Sincerely,
Mrs. Eunice Hunts
Online Promotions Manager
Uk Administrative Unit

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam