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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
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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")
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • +447031871267 (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.
  • infoclientservicesics_7@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: UK NATIONAL LOTTERY HQ <uknationalclaimsdept1115@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 17:07:32 +0100 (BST)
Subject: THANKS FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONCE!!!


Dear Hr Kust,

Please note that your email address was attached to a ticket number,it is that ticket number that won you the said prize.You do not have to enter for this lottery,it is an online lottery and email addresses was picked randomly from the Internet from various association,website and email providers.You are advice to treat your winnings with great importance.

All you need do is to forward your Name and Ticket number to The Client Services Manager, INTERNATIONAL COURIER SYSTEMS and he will get to you as soon as your winning package is ready for delivery.

NAME:MR HARRISON BLAIR(dispatch officer)
Client Services Manager.
INTERNATIONAL COURIER SYSTEMS
EMAIL:infoclientservicesics_7@yahoo.co.uk

TEL:+44 7031871267
+44 7031871279
+44 703 590 0237
+44 703 197 1728
+44 702 402 2180

You are advised to send the courier company a mail to their email address for their courier cost.When contacting them,you are to include this order number as your subject.Please you are adviced to write down the order number and save it.

ORDER NUMBER: 584120
Note: you are to Quote your complete names,Ref/Batch Numbers and your direct phone number so that they can honour your letter.Once again i say congratulations,

MR MICHAEL MARTINS
CLAIMS AGENT.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam