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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "high insurance policy" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • +447045708165 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448712635793 (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.
  • winningsdept_george@yahoo.gr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: GRAND YAHOO LOTTERY <george_andersons@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <inningsdept_george@yahoo.gr>
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 05:30:03 -0600
Subject:
=?Windows-1252?Q?YOUR_EMAIL_ADDRESS_HAS_WON__Prize_Amount:_=A3500,000_(Fi?=
=?Windows-1252?Q?ve_Hundred_pounds_sterlings)!?=



YAHOO! GRAND EMAIL LOTTERY PROMOTION.PRIZE AWARD DEPTPRIZE REF NO:PBL/CN/6654/CPBATCH NO:12/25/0305
WINNING NOTIFICATION
Attn: Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the YAHOO! ONLINE EMAIL LOTTERY PROMO/WORLD GAMING BOARD held on 12th September, 2007.
Your email address attached to Ticket No: 657-954-2509 with Your email ID identified with Coupon No.PBL2348974321, drew the lucky numbers 08-09-17-29-37-43 which subsequently won the lottery in the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved a lump sum of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND GREAT BRITAIN POUNDS. Your fund is presently held in a Finance/Security Firm, and is insured in your FILE REFERENCE and covered with HIGH INSURANCE POLICY. Due to mix up of some emails, numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this Lottery program. To process your winning claims, please contact your Fiduciary/Claims Agent;
Mr.George AndersonEmail: winningsdept_george@yahoo.gr Tel: +44 704 570 8165 +44 704 570 8170Fax: +44 871 263 5793 For the remittance of your winning prize, you have to send the following information below to your claims agent.
1. Your Full Name
2. Tel/Fax Numbers
3. Occupation
4. Date Of Birth
5. Nationality
6. Your Current Address
7. Next Of Kin And Address
8. Reference Numbers
9.Please you are to choose your payment option at which you want your fund Paid to you; listed below is our payment modalities and option of payment:
(1) BY COURIER SERVICE:(2)ELECTRONIC WIRE TRANSFER(Bank Transfer):
Your claims agent shall verify your information and further instructions shall be sent to you prior the release of your award prize.
Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your Fiduciary/Claims Agent as soon as possible. All winning must be claimed not later than 31ST SEPTEMBER, 2007. After this date all unclaimed, funds will be included in the next stake.
Congratulations once again and thank you for being a part of the YAHOO! ONLINE E-MAIL LOTTERY PROMO.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Gardner
(Promotion Manager).

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam