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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim 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: Robert Kings <agentkings_uklotto@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:37:51 +0100 (BST)
Subject: It Is Real


ATT:Ms Kuhn


Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over 25,000,000 Emails of distinguished professionals drawn from Europe, America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, parts of Africa, and North & South America as part of our international promotions programme conducted annually to encourage prospective overseas entries.

The result of our computer draw (1152) selected your email address attached to e-ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 15. 25. 29. 35. 39. 40 (Bonus no.11), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 5 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to file BNKJ/1740161514/03.
In line with the governing rules of claim, you are requested to furnish Your Claim Agent With the following information:

1. Full name.
2. Address.
3. A scanned copy of the front page of your international Passport or Driver's License via fax or e-mail attachment, for identification and reference.
4. Occupation.
5. Tel/Fax.

Do understand that, this is done to ensure that, we are dealing with the rightful Winner in this 2nd category to avoid double claiming by non winners.

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Robert Kings


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam