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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",000,000" (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)
• 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: hawkes schmoll <schmoll_hawkes-07@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <royallottogames_sweeptakes@yahoo.ie>
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:17:33 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS GARND PRIZE WINNER!!!



The Irish Lottery And MicrosoftP O Box 101063 merchant roadeast wall D3 dublin, Ireland(Customer Services)Ref: RLUK/3345/7121/09Batch: R6/A442-77
WINNING NOTIFICATION:We happily announce to you the draw (#1004) of the ROYAL IRISH LOTTERY online Sweepstakes International program held on 21st of July 2007. Itis now available for claims and you are getting the final NOTIFICATIONas regards this.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 008795727498 with Serial number BTD/9080648302/07 drew the lucky numbers:14-21-25-39-40-47??bonus no.20) whichsubsequently won you the lottery in the 1st category i.e match 5 plusbonus.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 1,000,000(One million Pounds) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03. This is froma total cash prize of 4,419,864 shared amongst the(5)lucky winners inthis category i.e Match 6 plus bonus.All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, andcorporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place weekly.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within ourEuropean booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your 1,000,000(One million Pounds) will be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe. Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of yourfunds as soon as you contact him.For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim isprocessed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit toclaim your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned!!!To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
MR. Gary FletcherEmail:agent_garyfletcher@yahoo.com.cnTELL:+353 857 690699FAX: 353 143 70765
Congratulations from me and members of staff of THE ROYAL IRISHLOTTERY and Microsoft Team.
Yours faithfullyMR.Hawkes SchmollOnline coordinator for THE ROYAL IRISH LOTTERY Sweepstakes International Program
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam