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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:

• 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:
  • "claims office" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447045701286 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • dsjonesclaimsagent02@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: heritagefund_1@comcast.net
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:49:40 +0000
Subject: EMAIL NOTIFICATION!!

EMAIL NOTIFICATION!!
HERITAGE LOTTERY FUNDS INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/ PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
6 Asbury Street,
Creek Road, Deptford
London SE8
England.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
REF NO: HLF/200-26937
Batch Number: 12/25/0304
Winning Number: 12-14-16-35-40-24
Serial Number: S/N-12678



ONLINE WINNING NOTIFICATION.
Attn:Winner,


We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today of winners of the HERITAGE MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY WINNINGS PROGRAMS .Your company or your personal e-mail address, is attached to winning number 12-14-16-35-40-24, With serial number S/N-12678,consequently won in the sixth lottery category.

You are therefore been approved for lump sums pay out of GBP 1,500,000.00 POUNDS(One million Five Hundred thousand pounds) in cash Credited to file REF NO: HLF/200-26937 and winning number 12-14-16-35-40-24, this is from total prize money of GBP £ 7,500,000.00 POUNDS, shared among the Five (5) international winners in this category.


All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot system drawn from 21,000 E-mail addresses, 3,000 E-mail addresses from each continent, as part of International "E-MAIL" Promotions Program, for theContinues use of E-mail.

The Heritage Lottery Funds UK (HLF) was set up by Parliament in 1994 to give grants to a wide range of projects involving the local, regional and national heritage of the United Kingdom. We distribute a share of the money raised by the uses.

Your funds have been insured with your REF NO: HLF/200-26937 and winning number 12-14-16-35-40-24.

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims have been fully processed and your money remitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid multiple claims and unwarranted abuse of this program by some members of the public.

For the release of your winning, kindly contact your claims officer at the The National Lottery Head Quarters via bellow informations:

Name: Mr. Donna Smith Jones,
Payment and Release Order Dept.
Phone: +(44)-704-5701-286.
Email : dsjonesclaimsagent02@yahoo.co.uk

Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform your Claims officer as soon as possible.

Complete the Claims Verification Questinnaire form below and send it to the claims officer via email:


1.FULL NAMES OF BENEFICIARY ..............
2.RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS ..............
3.AGE ..................
4.SEX..................
5.PHONE/FAX NUMBERS ..............
6.EMAIL ADDRESS ..............
7.NAME AND ADDRESS OF NEXT OF KIN ..............
8.AMOUNT WON ..............
9.LOTTO REFERENCE NO ..............
10.LOTTO BATCH NO......................
11.OCCUPATION ..............
12.MARITAL STATUS ...............
13.COUNTRY...................................

PAYMENT OPTIONS: PLEASE CHOOSE ONE(1).


(1) ELECTRONIC BANK TRANSFER(BANK TO BANK TRANSFER)

(2) COURIER DELIVERY(CERTIFIED CHEQUE MADE OUT IN YOUR NAME DELIVERED TO YOU VIA OUR AFFILIATE COURIER COMPANY)

(3) TRAVEL TO THE PAYMENT CENTRE, UK IN PERSON TO COLLECT YOUR WINNINGS.

DECLARATION:
I...............HEREBY DECLARE THAT THE ABOVE DATA ARE TRUE. IN CASE OF ANY UNFORSEEN CIRCUSTANCE,MY NEXT OF KIN HAS THE RIGHT TO CLAIM MY TOTAL WINNINGS.(SUPER STANDARD AGENT) SHALL ACT AS MY AGENT IN FACILITATING
THE TRANSFER OF THE TOTAL FUND TO ME.
DATE------------

Upon completion of the above form, you will be directed to contact the courier company or paying bank in charge of transfer of winning funds to
winners

Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thanks for being part of our promotions program.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Angela Perkins,
Executive (International Sweepstakes

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam