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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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• 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:
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: CLAIMS OFFICER <claimsofficerr@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2007 18:16:57 +0100 (BST)
Subject: REMINDER!!!



THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
The Free Lotto Sweepstakes,
PO Box 42 Peterborough
PE3 8XH
UNITED KINGDOM

Dear Winner,
THIS IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY BOARD.

IT HAS COME TO OUR NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE NOT CLAIMED YOUR WINNINGS FROM THE COURIER COMPANY AND SO THE COMPANY HAS DECIDED TO RETURN YOUR WINNINGS BACK TO US.

AFTER A MEETING OF OUR LOTTERY CO-ORDINATORS ,WE HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE YOU ONE WEEK MORE TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE ELSE YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

NOTE:YOU HAVE ONE WEEK MORE TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE ELSE YOU SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED,


REGARDS
CLAIMS AGENT,
THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY BOARD.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam