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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "overseas claims unit" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447045717384 (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.
  • ukwinningsclaimsunit10@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: johnsmith13@comcast.net
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:16:29 +0000
Subject: OFFICIAL WINNINGS


The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

Dear Lucky Winner,

We are pleased to notify you the draw (999) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,Online Sweepstakes International Lottery Program held
on 31th August,2007. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over 25,000 names of
distinguished professionals.The result of our computer draw (#978) selected your name and email address attached to
e-ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 11-18-25-27-39-44 (34 bonus ball). You
have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £600,000.00 ( Six Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to
file KTU/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of £ 10,533,120 shared amongst the first Six (6) lucky winners in
this category i.e.Match 5 plus bonus.

Your prize award has been insured in your name and is ready for claims. To begin your claims therefore, you are advised to
expeditiously contact our licensed and accredited claim agent for Overseas Lottery Winners within a period of 21 days
(date of this email inclusive) for the processing of your winning and remittance to your designated bank account after all
statutory obligations have been satisfactorily dispensed with.You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the
particulars presented below citing the batch and reference numbers to this letter between the hours of 8.00am- 7.30pm on
Monday through Friday. Please be informed that claims not processed within the stipulated period may be forfeited to the pool
without further notice.

LOTTERY CLAIMS APPLICATION FORM-C (Prize Winning Receipt)
=============================================================
[FULL NAME OF WINNER].......[CURRENT ADDRESS]........[COUNTRY/REGION]

........[STATE/PROVINCE]........[AGE]........[SEX]........[MARTIAL
STATUS]......[OCCUPATION].......[CURRENT EMAIL].....[TEL/FAX] .........
ENTRY WINNING INFORMATION:[ENTRY TICKET
NR].........................[DRAW DATE].. .....................

Overseas Claims Unit
United Kingdom Lottery Fiduciary
Contact Person: Mr. Well Paulson
Email:ukwinningsclaimsunit10@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: +44-704-571-7384 Fax: +44-702-093-5734
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Very Truly Yours,
Mr. John Smith


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam