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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
• 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.
  • +447045705152 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448712438655 (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.
  • danfoster0015@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "sandra O'Donnell" <odonnell3@btconnect.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:39:53 +0100
Subject: **** Your Email Address Has Won Our Star Prize***



ONLINE SWEEP LOTTERY
ID/007/897/04 Wellington Way,
Brooklands Business Park,
Weybridge, KT13 0TT United Kingdom.
Ref: LSUK/2231/81/04
Batch: OBW/A10-234
Dear Winner,
WORLDWIDE ONLINE-SWEEP WINNING NOTIFICATION
Greetings to you, we happily announce to you the draw of the
ONLINE SWEEPSTAKE Lottery International programs held on the 09th of
SEPTEMBER 2007 in UNITED KINGDOM.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188
with Serial number 5368/02, the lucky numbers: 19-6-26-17-35-7,which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd draw category.You have
therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$2,500,000.00 (Two
million,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited
to file ktu/9023118308/03
To file for your claim, please contact our FIDUCIARY AGENT:
MR DAN FOSTER
Email:danfoster0015@yahoo.co.uk
Fax:+44-87-1243-8655
Telephone:+44-70-4570-5152
Provide him with the information below:
1.NAME:..................................2.SEX: .....................................3.CONTACT ADDRESS:..............................
4.NATIONALITY:................................5.TELEPHONE NUMBER:..................................
5.FAX NUMBER(email address included when sending fax):6:OCCUPATION:..................................
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers to any correspondences with us or ourdesignated
agent.Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this
program.Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
Yours
Mrs. Sandra O' Donells
Onlinesweep Lottery Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam