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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:

• 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)
• 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.
  • joe_bailey2007@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY" <LOTTERY@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: joe_bailey2007@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01.22.34 -1200
Subject:

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
EURO MILLIONS PROMO/PRIZE DEPARTMENT
Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1, Ireland(Customer Services)
Ref: IR/90020X2/07
Batch: 074/07/ZY569
Dear Winner(Ref: IR/90020X2/07),
CONFIRMATION LETTER FROM THE LOTTERY OFFICE!!!
I am writing to confirm the official owner of this email address. Are
you the owner of this lucky email address? If yes! then count your
self a Lucky person as we are pleased to notify you of the final
announcement of the Irish National Lottery Online sweepstakes Promo
Programme held on the 19th OCT 2007 at exactly 3:00 AM London Time
(GMT).Ref: IR/90020X2/07,Batch: 074/07/ZY569,You have therefore been
approved to claim a total sum of 1,350,000 Euro.(One Million Three
Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euro).
To claim your winning fund Please Contact Mr Joe Bailey
Contact
E-Mail: (joe_bailey2007@yahoo.com.hk)
Provide him with the information below:
1.Full Name:
2.Full Address:
3.Marital Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age:
6.Sex:
7.Nationality:
8.Country Of Residence:
9.Telephone Number:
Yours Truly,
Sir Ezikiel Smith
Co-ordinator(Online Promo Programme

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam