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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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.
  • courier_limited@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: uk lottery <claimofficer71296@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 02:55:02 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT THE COURIER WITH YOUR FULL DATA FOR CLAIM OF YOUR WINNING PRIZE!!!!


DEAR WINNER,
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM LOTTERY PROMO IS ONE OF KIND AND IS DONE ANNUALLY AS ONE OF OUR WINNER YOU HAVE TO NOTE THAT WE FOLLOW PROCEDURE FOR YOUR WINNING PRIZE TO GET TO YOU THIS IS A LOTTERY PROMO THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR UP TO TEN YEARS NOW AS THE ONLINE CO-ORDINATOR I WOULD WANT YOU TO FILE FOR THE CLAIM OF YOUR PRIZE AND I PROMISE YOU THAT IN NO TIME YOUR PRIZE WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY JUST FILL IN THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND CONTACT THE COURIER COMPANY THAT WILL BE DELIVERYING YOUR WINNING PRIZE TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY WE ASSURE YOU THAT YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
YOUR FULL NAME:
NATIONALITY:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER:
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE:
AGE:
SEX:


The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref:UK/9420X/68
Batch:074/05/ZY369




ATTENTION:WINNER,

CONGRATULATIONS! This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY online Sweepstakes International program.

I am happy to inform you, your Original Certificate and your Certified bank cheque has been forwarded to the courier company.
Find below the details of the courier company.

FIVEWAYS COURIER EXPRESS LTD
ADDRESS: Victoria House, 144-146,
Beddington Lane Croydon, CR0
4TD, United Kingdom.

NAME: MR. Brian Howell (Dispatch officer)
EMAIL:five_ways__courier_limited@yahoo.co.uk

You are advised to send the courier company a mail to their email address for their courier cost of delivering your winning prize to the payment center for immediate transfer to your nominated account. When contacting them,you are to include this order number and full names as your subject.Please you are advised to write down the order number and save it.

ORDER NUMBER: K231282

Note:
1) as your agent i am supposed to be briefed at all times your dealings with the courier company for proper documentation or when you do not have a proper understanding with the company.

2) you are to Quote your complete names,Ref/Batch Numbers and your direct phone number so that they can honor your letter.Once again i say congratulations.

Thanks,

Mr John Smith

Claims Agent.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam