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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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 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.
  • philp_raw04@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: gladnewsletter@mchsi.com (IRISH NATIONAL LOTTERY)
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:07:46 +0000
Subject: Congratulation !!! IR/9420X2/68

Dear Winner,
I am pleased to inform you about the result of Our 2007
raffle draw that was conducted by the Irish National lottery to you.
The Irish Lottery Gaming Board and all the staff of this great company
are pleased to inform You that Your email address has won the online
lottery draw.
On behalf of the Irish Lottery Board, I want to congratulate You for
emerging the winner of this month draw.
The draw was done electronically with several email addresses provided
to this office by microsoft to enhance the utilization of the internet.
Your email address was attached to Reference Number IR/9420X2/68,
Batch: 074/05/ZY369 which was Picked as One Of the Five Winning email
Addresses.
This have Qualified You to Claim the total Cash Prize Of One Million,
Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euro. (1,350,000EURO). Your Winning
Check Will be Handed Over to You as soon as Our Claims Department
Verify Your Winning After You Might have filled the Payment Processing
Form
that Will be Given to You In Due Course.
We Do Not need Your Bank Information for You to Claim Your Winnings.
You are Advised to Contact Our Claims Agent:
MR Philp Raw though his email address:
philp_raw04@yahoo.com.hk
+44- 701-114- 8710

Provide him with the information below to file your Claim:
Full Names: (Surname First):-----------
Full Contact Address:-----------
Nationality: ------------
Country:-----------
Telephone/ Mobile line: ------------
Gender: -----------
Age: ------------
Occupation: -----------
Scanned Copy Of Drivers License For Identification (If Any):-----
How will you like to receive your winnings :-----------

Best wishes.
Please Quote Your Reference Number as IR/9420X2/68
when You are Filing Your Claims.
Congratulations From All Our Members Of Staff.
The Irish National Lottery

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam