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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "overseas claims unit" (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!
• 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.
  • wakefieldclaimsagent_lott@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: "LOTTERY TEAM" <carlmoore6499@rediffmail.com>
Date: 23 Aug 2007 12:15:31 -0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION 2007, Congratulations!!


YAHOO! NEWS... Yahoo! Lottery Results. You won £800,000.00! Yahoo! Mail congratulates you!

Yahoo! Mail announce you as one of the 10 lucky winners in the ongoing Yahoo! Lottery Draw held for the last two quarters of the year, 2007.

All 10 winning email addresses were randomly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international emails each from Canada, Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually. Consequently, you have been approved for a total pay of 800,000.00 GBP (EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND GREAT BRITISH POUNDS STERLING).

This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities where they have operational base. Further more your details(e-mail address) falls within our British Representative Office in the United Kingdom , as indicated in your play coupon and your prize of 800,000.00 GBP will be released to you from this regional branch office in the UK.

Find below your identification numbers:

Batch Number......................Lwh 09445Lotto Number......................Lwh 09446Winning Number....................Lwh 09447

Our Yahoo’s Agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact her. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your prize remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.

To file for claim, fill out the information required in the verification form and establish contact via e-mail between the hours of 8.00am - 7.30pm on Monday through Saturday and contact our overseas claims unit with the information below:

OVERSEAS CLAIMS UNIT Yahoo! Lottery Fiduciary Contact Person: Mr. George Wakefieldclaimsagent_lott@sify.com

VERIFICATION FORM

1. FULL NAMES: __________________________________2. ADDRESS: _____________________________________3. SEX: __________4. AGE: __________5. MARITAL STATUS: ___________________6. OCCUPATION: _______________________7. E-MAIL ADDRESS: _____________________________8. TELEPHONE NUMBER: __________________________

9. LOTTO NUMBER: ____________________ B. BATCH NUMBER:______________10. WINNING NUMBER: __________________11. AMOUNT WON: ______________________12. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL_______________________________________________________ 13. COUNTRY________________________________

CLAIMANT SIGNATORY DECLARATION===========================================================I,......................................HEREBY DECLARE THAT I HAVE NEVER RECIEVED ANY FORM OF SETTLEMENT FROM THE Yahoo! LOTTERY NOR ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY. I, THEREFORE, DECLARE THAT THE Yahoo! LOTTERY ACTS ON MY BEHALF IN THE PROCESSING AND TRANSFER OF MY PRIZE AS INSTRUCTED BY ME. ===========================================================

Good luck from me and members of staff of the Yahoo! Lottery.

Yours faithfully,Dr. Carl Moore.Online coordinator for Yahoo! Lottery.Sweepstakes International Program.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam