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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")
  • ",000,000" (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.
  • +447011131119 (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.
  • uk_webgame007@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "LOTTERY RESULT" <mailboxalart12@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: uk_webgame007@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:57:04 +0000
Subject: Uk Sweepstakes International Program

Uk Sweepstakes International Program
P O Box 1010 Dublin, 11 G
Lower Dorset Street
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY36

We are pleased to inform you that your e-mail address has won the UK
Sweepstakes International Program. Therefore you have been approved for a
lump sum payout (£1,000,000.00 GBP) One Million Pounds in the Uk
Sweepstakes International Program held on 24nd September 2007, and released
today 27th September 2007.

The online cyber Sweepstakes Program draws was conducted from an
exclusive list of 21,000 email addresses of individual and corporate bodies
picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the
internet, no tickets were sold.

After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail ID emerged asone of
the winners in the 3rd category. You are therefore been approve to lump
sum of (£1,000,000.00 GBP). To file and claim your winning,please
contact our Fiduciary Agent for the processing of your winning particulars.

To file for your claim, please contact our
Name: Mr.James Hill.
Email:uk_webgame007@yahoo.com.hk
Phone: +447011131119
Fax: +447075055056

Provide him with the information below:

1.Full Name:
2.Full Address:
3.Status:
4.Occupation:.................
5.Age:
6.Sex:.................
7.Country:.......................
8.Tel.Number: .................
9 Valid ID card:..................

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Stella Ellis.

Sweepstakes International Program.
Copyright © 1994-2007 The UK Sweepstakes International Program Inc.All rights reserved.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam