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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!
  
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• 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!
• 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.
  • +447024052187 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: michael james <ukmat_124@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:47:30 +0000
Subject: Congratulations Serial no.5368/02



UK-LOTTO Headquarters:The Marina Offices,St Peters Yacht Basin,Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1HX EnglandRef: UK/9420X2/68, Batch: 074/05/ZY369 WINNING NOTIFICATIONWe happily announce to you the draw (#1158) of the UK LOTTERY,online Sweepstakes International program in UNITED-KINGDOM. Your e-mail address was selected at random and attached to ticket no.: 56475600545188 with Serial no. 5368/02drew the lucky no.:04.07. 26 .28. 39. 49. {47} Bonus Ball,which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 6. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £850,000.00 in cash, creditedto file ktu/9023118308/03.To file for your claim,contact our fiduciary agent:Mr.mike jamesEmail: agentmike247@yahoo.co.ukTel:+44702-405-2187Congratulations once again from all members and staff of this program From: Mr Lorraine Dodds. Online Co-ordinater


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam