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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
  • "uk national lottery inc." (no such lottery exists)
• 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.
  • +447014221461 (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.
  • onlineaccountdept@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: james wheilig <info_claims.ukonline_1@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 17:13:15 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT THE PAYING BANK FOR PAYMENT


The National Lottery
P.O.Box 17,
Kempsford GL7 4WZ
London. UNITED KINGDOM


Attention: Emma Bachzer ,


I acknowledge the receipt of your mail.I am Mr James Micheal your lottery claims agent.I have been commissioned to guide you through the claiming of your winnings.

Your personal details has been received and we are processing your winning certificate.Immeditaely we finish processing your certificate today we shall deposit your winnings with our transferring bank in some few hours from now.Please be advised that you will receive your winnings via bank transfer.Be informed that a scanned copy of your drivers license or passport is required for the safety of your winnings.

You are to contact our transferring bank with your winning details for the opening of an online bank account.Find their details below.

BANK NAME: NATWEST BANK LONDON
CONTACT PERSON: Mr william moris (Director of Operations)

EMAIL: onlineaccountdept@yahoo.co.uk
Tell: +44-7014-221-461

Immediately you establish communication with me do update me.

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.
Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.


Yours faithfully,
Mr James Micheal
Online co-ordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.
Copyright © 1994-2007 The UK National Lottery Inc.
All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guidelines

U.K National Lottery Headquarters:
Customer Service
28 TANFIELD ROAD, CROYDON.LONDON UNITED KINGDOM



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam