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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (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 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.
  • toyota2007promooffice@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: file5553@mchsi.com (TOYOTA 2007 AWARD PROMO INC....)
Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2007 09:59:55 +0000
Subject: CLAIMS REQURIEMENTS


Toyota Car Promotions
25 Atlantic Avenue Erlanger
United Kingdom
CVR-nr. 25554493.

This is to inform you that have been selected for a Cash prize of
£600,000.00 GBP (Six Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds) and a
Brand New Toyota Car (Toyota Prius) in our International program which
was held in SEPTEMBER, 2007 in London UK.

The selection process was carried out through a random selection in our
computerized E-mail Selection System (ESS) from a database of over
500,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your Claims
Officer through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below:
Mr James Cole.
Email:toyota2007promooffice@yahoo.co.uk

When contacting him, please provide him with your secret Pin Code
TY7448500 and your Reference Number 799BV90. You are also advised to
provide him with the under-listed informa tion as soon as possible:

CLAIMS REQURIEMENTS:
1. Full Name:
2. Address:
3. Nationality:
4. Age:
5. Sex:
6. Occupation:
7. Phone/Fax:
8. Present Country:

If you DO NOT contact your claims agent within 7 working days of this
notification, your winnings would be REVOKED.

Regards
Mr Morris Lee.
Lottery Manager

--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam