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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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)
  • "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.
  • +447045723246 (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.
  • w_alterpaul@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: nanccy@digitex.net
Reply-To: lotteruk@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:13:00 -0500
Subject: YOU ARE A CERTIFIED WINNER !!!

Dear Winner,

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
SWEETWIN LOTTO PROMO LOTTERY,
HEADQUARTERS:10 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, LONDON WC2N 5BX, THE UNITED
KINGDOM.

REF: OYL/25041238013/02
BATCH: 24/00319/IPD

ATTENTION: RE/ AWARD NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE

Compliment of the season. We are pleased to inform you of the
announcement today, 9TH,September 2007 of Winners of the SWEETWIN PROMO LOTTERY,
UNITED KINGDOM / INTERNATIONAL, PROGRAMS held on 4th September 2007.

Your e-mail address is attached to ticket number: 023-0148-790-459,
with serial number 5073-11 drew the lucky numbers 43-11-44-37-10-43, which
sub sequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.

It is our pleasure to inform you that you have emerged as a Category
"B" winner of the SWEETWIN LOTTO PROMO LOTTERY.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of Five Million,
Five Hundred Thousand-America Dollars You have therefore been approved
for lump sum pay Out of US$5,500.000.00 Million in cash credited to
file REF NO.OYL/25041238013/02. This is from total prize Money Of
US$80,400,000.00 shared among the seventeen International winners in this
category. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our
European booklet representative office in Europe as contained in your file.

In view of this, the Certified Bank Check of your Five Million, Five
Hundred Thousand-America Dollars ($US5, 500.000.00) would be released to
you by our security firm in London, United Kingdom. Our European agent
will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your
funds as soon as you contact him.

As a category "B" winner, all participants for the free online lotto
version were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through the
computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 names / companies from
Africa, Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, North America and Asia
as Part of International Promotions Program, which is Conducted
Bi-Annually. After the computer ballot of our International Promotions
Program, only first seventeen- (17) lucky winners emerged in this category.

This lottery program was organized by our group of philanthropist
promoted and sponsored by Mr. Bill Gates of Microsoft Inc, eminent
personalities like the Sultan of Brunei, Multi Choice and other corporate
Organizations. This lottery program was organized to improve the use of
computer software's and for the benefit of every Microsoft user.

Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, and for security reasons,
you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your
claims is being processed and your Certified Bank Cheque is received
by you.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and
unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. So be
warned.

To file for your claim, please contact our Category "B" fiduciary agent
who is your claims agent:

MR. WALTER PAUL,
FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER,
Vertex Finance Company.
Email: w_alterpaul@myway.com

Tell : +44 7045723246

+44 7024058268

For due processing and the delivery of your won prize to be sent to you
through Certified Bank Check. Please do also send to your claim Agent
the following information:

YOUR FULL NAME:
YOUR AGE:
YOUR SEX:
YOUR OCCUPATION:
YOUR TITLE OR POSITION:
YOUR BATCH NUMBER:
YOUR REFERENCE NUMBER:
YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER:
YOUR FAX NUMBER:
YOUR FULL ADDRESS FOR THE POSTAGE OF YOUR WON PRIZE:

However, it should be noted that all won prize must be claimed not
later than 30th of September 2007. Any claim not made before this date will
be returned back to the SWEETWIN LOTTO PROMO as unclaimed won prize.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and Complications, please
remember to quote your Reference and batch numbers in your
correspondences with your claim agent.

Furthermore, should there be any Change of your address, do inform our
fiduciary agent who is your claims agent as soon as possible.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or
unscrupulous acts by participants Of This program. We hope with a part of
your prize, you will Participate in our mid year high stakes
US$1.3Billion International Lottery.

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotions program.

Sincerely,

Abigail Jolly

The Promotions Manager,
SWEETWIN LOTTO PROMO LOTTERY, UNITED KINGDOM.
N.B. any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will
result to disqualification.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam