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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 director" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • +447011121155 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448709125684 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "PHEONIX FINANCE COMPANY INC." <verificationdept_pheonix@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:58:17 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN HUMPHREY LEHZER!!!


Customer Service
Ref: UK/00002/YH/68
Batch #: 032/11/369

ATTN: Mr Humphrey Lehzer,

Welcome to Pheonix Finance Company Limited, an affiliate company to the UK ONLINE LOTTERY INC. This is to confirm the receipt of your correspondence and we are glad to inform you that you are the category A winner of this month's UK ONLINE PROMO, were your email address won in our online computer balloting lucky draws. We are also assuring you that in line with our principles of efficiency, transparency and customer satisfaction, you shall be treated with the best possible service within the abilities of this office and in line with company policies.


Your claims file has been duly forwarded to this office with specific instructions that we shall be handling the transfer of your prize of £1,550,000 (One Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British pounds sterling) to your nominated account.

Instruction of payment for your lottery prize is already in our possession and shall be acted upon your meeting the requirements stated below.

You are required to choose the option best for you to enable us process and release your winning prize money.
Choose from the options stated below.

(1) Courier delivery of your winning cheque to your designated address via our afiliate courier company.

(2) Come over to our UK OFFICE to pick up your winnings in person with complete proof of your identity.

However you will have to be responsible for all account opening/ transfer charges or shipping/courier cost depending on your choice. This is because your winnings have been insured as required by law to the exact value of the amount won and hence no deductions can be posted to it untill it gets to the winner which in this case is you.

Therefore your are required to reply us promptly your decision in the light of the above options. Also note that all winnings will be reverted back to the lottery funds if not claimed by 4 weeks of your winning draw date in your original winning notification.

This international promotion is proudly sponsored by Yahoo! Inc. to encourage the use of the Internet and computers worldwide. We are proud to say that over 200 Million Pounds are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.

Congratulations once again from all members and staff of this program and thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Diane Milton
Claims Director
Pheonix Finance Company Ltd.
TEL: +44-701-112-1155
FAX : +44-870-912-5684






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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam