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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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 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.
  • transworldcourierexpress020@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Martin Desmond" <uklotto@uklottowinnings.co.uk>
Reply-To: martindesmond2003@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2007 19:45:19 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE A LUCKY WINNER OF USD4.5M FROM UK-LOTTERY.

UK-LOTTO ORGANISATION:
Customer Service
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE A LUCKY WINNER OF USD4.5M FROM UK-LOTTERY.


We hereby announce to you the draw of the UK-LOTTO Sweepstake Lottery International programs held on the 6th of JULY, 2007 in Bang-kok Thailand . Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02drew the lucky numbers:19-6-26-17-35-77, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.


You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 4.5m (Four million ,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file ktu/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize of US$45 Million US dollars,shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners in this category.All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies.


To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please send your full names,your country, your private Telephone number{s Age,Sex,yourreference/batch numbers as well as the your address where you want the courier company to deliver your INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED CHEQUE OF US$4.5M etc to the Trans-World Express Courier Company, as they are the Courier Company in Charge of Delivering Your INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED CHEQUE OF US$4.5M to you.


The email address of the Courier Organisation is: transworldcourierexpress020@yahoo.co.uk
Contact Agent: Mr Gabriel Jones {CEO Trans World Express Courier}


CONGRATULATIONS.


Sincerely,

Mr Martin Desmond.
UK-LOTTO Online Co-ordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam