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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:
  • "million british pounds" (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)
  • ",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.
  • +447031895575 (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.
  • smith_hone66@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: world wide <worldwidedraw_42@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:45:34 +0000
Subject: (PRIZE AWARD NOTIFICATION)



The UK National LotteryLottery CompanyP.O Box 789H arrogateHG1 2YR.United Kingdom


Our Dear Winner,

It our pleasure to inform you that you are lucky to be selected as one of this year lottery awards.You have won the sum of £1,000,000GBP (ONE MILLION BRITISH POUNDS) from The UK National Lottery on our 2007 new year charity bonanza.The winning ticket was selected from a Data Base of Internet Email Users, from which your Address came out as the winning coupon.We here by urge you to claim the winning amount quickly as this is a monthly lottery. Failure to claim your win will result into the reversion of the fund to our following month.You are therefore requested to contact immediately our Claims Department below quoting winning number: LOTTERY NUMBER:05-08-10-18-20-46-{43}.Contact Agent in charge :DR Smith Honephone number: +447031895575
Fax +448709748437Email: smith_hone66@yahoo.co.uk
Please quote your lottery number.Mode Of Payment:1. Bank to Bank Payment...............2. Courier Delivery...........................Congratulations once again.Verification and clearance form1.Full Names:..............................2.Address:....................................3.Sex:.............................................4.Age:.............................................5:Occupation:...............................6. E-mail Address:......................7.Winning Numbers:..................8.Country:.....................................9.Phone Numbers:.....................10.Fax Number.............................
11.Your Marital Statue.......................
Regards,MRS Jane Stewart,Online coordinator for NATIONAL LOTTERYSweepstakes International Program.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam