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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)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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.
  • +447045704365 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448704791525 (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.
  • agent.john_wesley@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: John Wesley <agent.john_wesley@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 22:28:43 +0100 (BST)
Subject: {Disarmed} LINUX LOTTERY (VERIFICATION FORM)



Linux International Lottery
Linux Head office London United Kingdom.
Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6BD, UK
Affiliate of U.K National Lottery.
Tel: +44 704 570 4365
Fax:+44 870 479 1525

E-ticket number: 834509819
Prize No.: 237359446.

Dear Solvig.Jaeg,
Congratulations once again on behalf of the LINUX INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY . We do believe that your winnings ($200,000.00 USD) will be put into good use by you. On Behalf of the Screening Committee of LINUX INTERNATIONAL PROMO BOARD, I wish to formally announce to you again that you have successfully passed the Email Screening and Verification Form Matching Test conducted for all online winners in your Category.

The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching personalised email addresses to ticket numbers,participants for the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.


You must adhere to this instruction, strictly, to avoid any delay with the release of your funds to your person. This program has been abused severally in past, so we are doing our best to forestall further occurrence of false claims with this,we advice that you keep all information about this prize confidential until your funds $200,000.00 have been received by you.

You are therefore CLEARED to receive your total won sum and you can now fill the online form below and return to claims agent lewis Anderson for immediate release of your winning check to your provided address. Return Form to both email below:

agent.john_wesley@yahoo.co.uk


WINNER'S VERIFICATION FORM
WINNER'S PERSONAL DATA
First Name.: *
Middle Name.:
Last Name.: *

Gender.:

Month Of Birth.:
Day:
Year:

Marital Status.:
Nationality.: *
Religion.:
Occupation.:
Next Of Kin: Monthly Income: (Optional)
Address 2.:
City.: *
State/Province.: *
Zip Code: *

Mobile phone No.: *
House Phone No.: *
Fax No.:
Email Address.: *

WINNING INFORMATION:
E-ticket Number: *
Prize Number: *
Lottery Date: *
This is to verify that the information filled in this FORM is a valid particulars of me. Yes: No:










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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam