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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.

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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:
  • "british lottery international" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million dollars" (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)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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.
  • +447011138099 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: MICHEAL RONIN <willette@cleelum.com>
Reply-To: fiduciaryagentanderson@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:08:48 -0700
Subject: BRITISH LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL


GOVERMENT ACCREDITED LICENCE(RC 2343)British Lottery International
Customer Service
28 TANFIELD ROAD,
CROYDON.LONDON
                                                       WINNING NOTIFICATION!!
Ref: BTL/491OXI/04
Batch: 12/25/0304
 We happily announce to you the draw of the British
Lottery International programs held on the 5th of
September, 2007 in London. Your e-mail address attached
to ticket number: 564 75600545-188 with serial number
5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 31-6-26-13-35-7, which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total
sum of US2,500,000.00 (Two million, Five Hundred Thousand,
United States Dollars) in cash credited to file
RPC/9080118308/04 made available from a total cash prize
of US $125 Million dollars, shared amongst the first Fifty
(50) lucky winners in this category.
All participants were selected randomly from World
Wide Web sites through a computer drawn system and
extracted from over 100,000 companies. This promotion
takes place annually.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls
within our booklet representative office in Europe as
indicated in our play coupon. In view of this, your
US$2, 500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred
thousand, United States Dollars) would be released to
you by our affiliate bank in London as soon as you
establish contact.To file for your claim, contact our
fiduciary agent ! with the below details;
AGENT:Mr George Anderson
Phone number: +44-701-113-8099.
Fax number:     +44-760-557-8215.
Email:fiduciaryagentanderson@yahoo.co.uk.Please you are to provide him
with the following information.
1.Full Name:.................................................................
2.Address:...................................................................
3.Marital Status:............................................................
4.Occupation:................................................................
5.Age:..............! .......................................................
6.Sex:..........................................! ...........................
7.Nationality:...............................................................
8.Country Of Residence:......................................................
9.Telephone Number:..........................................................
10.Fax Number:...............................................................
11.Ref and Batch
Numbers.....................................................12.ATTTACH
YOUR PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPHY FOR
IDENTITY ====================================================================================                                              TRANSFER MODALITIES====================================================================================PLEASE YOU ARE TO CHOOSE YOUR PAYMENT OPTION  FOR THE REMITTANCE OF YOUR FUND  TO YOU, LISTED BELOW IS OUR PAYMENT MODALITIES AND OPTION OF PAYMENT. OPTION 1:  You first open an account with the payment bank then come down to our office in London to collect your certificate and also your certified bank cheque and take it to our payment center in person to redeem your winning
sum.
ADDRESS OF OFFICE: 28 TANFIELD ROAD, CROYDON.LONDON.
(Send flight itinerary to confirm your arrival/appointment Date} Option 2:
  Employ the services of our affiliate courier company to courier your
certificate and bank cheque to the payment center for the telegraphic
transfer of your winning sum to your local bank account. PLEASE NOTE
THAT OPTION 2 WILL MEAN YOU ARE TO SHOULDER THE COST OF COURIER AS
THIS IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY, THOUGH THE COURIER SERVICE IS
AFFILIATED TO THIS LOTTERY PROGRAM THEY ACT INDEPENDENT OF YOUR
WINNINGS THOUGH IT IS FASTER AND MORE CONVINIENT FOR INTERNATIONAL
WINNERS.THEY WILL SEND YOU A SCANNED COPY OF YOUR CERTIFICATE AND
CERTIFIED BANK CHEQUE IMMEDIATELY THEY HAVE POSTED THEM TO THE PAYMENT
CENTER FOR YOUR REFERENCE PURPOSE.  To avoid unnecessary delays and
complications, quote your reference/batch numbers in any
correspondences with us or our designated agent. 
! Congratulations once more from members and staffs of british lottery
international. Faithfully,
Mr. Michael Ronin
Zone Co-ordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam