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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 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)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary 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: MACK TONY <agent_macktony@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 07:51:34 +0100 (BST)
Subject: *BE A HAPPY MAN*UK NATIONAL LOTTERY FIDUCIARY AGENT.


ATTENTION: WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS! to you once more,This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY online Sweepstakes International program. We want to put you informed that this lottery have been approved by the UK Goverment also with GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSE, we know that there are many scammer over the net but you dont have to think that so that you will not loose your winning prize i hope you understand.

However i have forwarded your information to the courier company and they will contact you, also with your Original Certificate and your mode of prize collection.

We advice you to keep your winning confirdential ontill your fund has been remmited to you, and follow the courier company instruction so that they can possibly deliver/transfer your winnings to you as soon as possible.i congratulate you once more.

Regards


UK NATIONAL LOTTERY FIDUCIARY AGENT.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam