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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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• 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")
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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: "Rod Brendan" <promotionsclaimsagent@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 01:37:25 -0700
Subject: Re: Your are a winner.


*Attention: Mr. Berend Bach.*

Dear Sir,

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your email.

Be advised to forward the following information to enable us commence the
process of your payment.

The Information required:

FULL NAMES:

COUNTRY:

NATIONALITY:

SEX:

AGE:

TEL NO: FAX:

OCCUPATION:

REFERENCE NO:

BATCH NO:

On receipt of the above information, we shall commence the process of your
claim.

A prize award certificate will be forwarded to you on completion of the
claim process, thereafter,

The paying bank will contact you as soon as instruction has been given for
the payment of your prize award.

Mode of payment is ONLINE Internet Banking System.

The process of issuance of prize award certificate will not exceed one
working day from today. We shall also secure an affidavit for claim from the
commercial court before the bank will commence payment.

Once again, we say congratulations on behalf of all the management of
Microsoft ONLINE Lottery Promotions for the year 2007.

Thanks,
Yours truly,
Dr. Rod Brendan
Claims Agent
For: Microft ONLINE (U.K) Lottery Promotions.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam