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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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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 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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "barrister" (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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447011130907 (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.
  • agent.consultants@yahoo.ie (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: British Lottery Board <agent.consultants@yahoo.ie>
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:15:02 +0200
Subject: YOU ARE A WINNER *** CONFIRM RECEIPT

THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
P O BOX 1010 LIVERPOOL,
L70 1NL UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)

                RE/AWARD BRITISH NOTIFICATION DESK

Dear Lucky Winner,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just cluded annual final draws of UNITED KINGDOM international programs.After this automated computer ballot, your email address emerged as one of two winners in the category \\"A\\ " You are therefore been approve to claim the sum of £1,500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds  Sterling ) with the information below:

Ref: UKNL/05/8256/53219/QE327
Batch Number: UKNL5/A115-07

To file for your claim, you are adviced to fill the form below and send it to the claims agent who has been instructed to notify you on the procedures of claiming you winnings.

You are to make contact with him with the details below:
******************************************************************
Fiduciary Agent/Payment Officer.
Barrister. Luis Santiago
ESQ TEL: +44-701-1130907
Official Email: agent.consultants@yahoo.ie
<mailto:agent.consultants@yahoo.ie>
******************************************************************
Endeavour to email/fax him this following to your fiduciary agent that will file out your claims immediately.

PAYMENT PORCESSING FORM:

(1).YOUR FULL NAMES...............................
(2).CONTACT ADDRESS................................
(3).TEL/FAX NUMBERS...............................
(4).OCCUPATION...................................
(5).WINNING EMAIL...............................
(6).AGE.........................................
(7).SEX.......................................
(8).BATCH/REF NUMBER................................
(9).AMOUNT.................................
(10).COUNTRY.....................................

Congratulations from me and members of staff of THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Alan Bell
Online coordinator for THE NATIONAL LOTTERY Sweepstakes International

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam