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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "fiduciary 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: JAMES WRIGHT <hlfclaimsofficer02@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 00:15:34 +0800 (CST)
Subject: REQUIREMENTS (CLAIMS OFFICER)


REQUIREMENTS (CLAIMS OFFICER)
ATTENTION: Winner,
I am the fiduciary agent assigned to your payment file. I wish to Congratulate on your victory, you are lucky person to have won this lottery. To begin your claims process, you are required to forward the following details to help facilitate the processing of your claims.
1. Full names.
2. Residential address.
3. Phone number.
4. Fax number.
5. Sex.
6. Age.
7. Occupation
8. Amount Won
You are advised to forward these information as soon as possible to enable us attend to your file. You are advised to keep your winning numbers secret to avoid unscrupulous elements from taking advantage of the situation.
Once again, congratulations.
Sincerely,
James Wright.
.............................................................................................................................
This email and its attachments are confidential and intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). This email and its attachments may also be privileged or protected by legal rules. If you have received this by mistake please let us know by reply immediately and destroy the email and its attachments without reading, copying or forwarding the contents.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam