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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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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • +447011139233 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448704785187 (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.
  • epsoneventsuk@gamebox.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • epsconsultingltd@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: ElGordo Promotions <elgordodraw06@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 12:25:04 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!



Ref: ELGD/34117HPG-GRCC . Draw No.: 22451Category: 2B . Winning Number: 08 15 30 31 34 43 40Batch Number: ATP/44863214257/3445328/563
Date: 4th June, 2007
WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!
We happily announce to you the draws of the inaugural Promotional Lottery Programme (ElGordo Lottery of Spain) held in Madrid, Spain on the 1st of June, 2007 in which you and five (5) provisional winners were selected as winners under draw No. 2245. Due to mix up in some numbers and names the results of the draw were withheld and released today.
For the purpose of security you are therefore strongly advised to keep this award notification from public notice until your claim has been processed and your prize money paid as this is part of our security protocol to avoid duplicity of claims or abuse of this programme by hackers. Our staffs are sworn to secrecy, so you will be the only one to know what you have won.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 08-04-33-38-BL-AU drew the lucky numbers: 08 15 30 31 34 43 40, which subsequently won you the lottery in Category 2B. All participants were selected randomly through computer ballot draw system and from 150,000 individuals as part of our international promotions program.
To begin your claims therefore, you are advised on final notice and as a matter of urgency, to contact our licensed and accredited claim agent for the processing of your prize awards winning and payment.
CONTACT:
MR. ALVINO MORALES, EPSON CONSULTING LIMITED, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM. Tel: +44 701 1139 233 +44 704 5704 388Fax: +44 870 4785 187 +44 871 7206 368 +44 871 7206 391 EMAILS: epsoneventsuk@GameBox.net epsconsultingltd@excite.com
In line with this, your 649,790.44 Pounds will be paid to you upon confirmation and clarification by our claims agent who will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your winnings as soon as you contact him. Do please quote your Draw, Reference and Winning numbers in any correspondence with our designated agent. Also include your telephone number(s) when contacting the agent. Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this programme and thank you for being part of our promotional lottery programme.
Sincerely Yours,
Peggy Anderson (Ms.) Results Coordinator.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam