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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "part of our security protocols" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "foreign service manager" (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)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Harrison George" <billy200@windowslive.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: departmentclaims2006@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 22:16:14 +0400
Subject: CONGRATULATION!

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS: PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY ( UK ): BR: REF: LP: 26510460037:07 BATCH: 24:00319: IPD

RE: LOTTERY AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION FINAL.

We are pleased to inform you of the release today, 6th of DEC. 2007 of the TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY'S INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM held on the 4th of NOV. 2007. In accordance with the TRANSCORP Lotto Agency’s promotion award procedure , your Name was attached to Ticket Number 02511464992-750 with Serial Number 2113-05 drew the Lucky Number 3-18-19-30-32-39, which consequently won the Lottery in the 3RD Category. You therefore have been approved for the lump sum payout of United States Dollars $1,547,828.00 (One Million, Five Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty Eight United States Dollars only) in cash credit to the Referenced File Number REF: LP/26510460037/07. This is from a total prize release of United States Dollars $15, 350,000.00 (Fifteen Million, Three Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars only) shares among the Seventeen (17) International winners approved in various categories.

CONGRATULATION!

Due to the mix-up of some numbers and names, we request that you should keep this Award Winning Notification, a top secret from the public until your total Won Prize is processed and your allocated amount (WON PRIZE) is released to you, as this is part of our security protocols and measures put in place to checkmate malpractices and to avoid double claiming of awards or unwarranted taking advantage of this program. NOTE that all participants in this lottery exercise were selected through a Computer Ballot system drawn from 25,000 existing names from Australia , USA , Europe, Asia, New Zealand , Middle-East, South and North America as part of our International Promotions Program (I.P.P), which we conduct annually. You should therefore count yourself lucky that your own name was selected amongst other names and you name have emerged a lucky winner in this 2007 edition of this program. CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN!

We also hope that with a part of your allocated Won Prize, you will take part in our end 2008 High Stake Euros 300 Million International Lottery program. To redeem your Prize, please contact the Issuing Authority, through your assigned Lotto Award Claims Agent, the attention of Mr. Harrison George ( your Prize Claims Agent and Our Foreign Service Manager), for instant processing and disbursement of your total allocated WON PRIZE to you as approved by the Promotion Management of TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY (UK). It is important also to notify you that the promotion management of TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY (UK) has nominated 10 different financial institutions (Banks) located within the Asia continent, Europe and Africa financial regions to carry out immediate disbursements of allocated Won Prizes to the various approved beneficiaries. Please Contact your assigned Lotto Award Claims Agent,for further inquiries concerning the procedures for instant delivering of your allocated Won Prize to you as mandated by TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY (UK)

Remember, all allocated "Won prizes" must be claimed not later than 14th of Dec 2007. After this date, all funds unclaimed would be returned to the organizers of this promotion an unclaimed Won Prizes. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to reconfirm your File Reference and Batch numbers in every of your correspondences with your agent. Should there be any change in mailing address of any beneficiary, do not hesitate to inform your claim's agent as soon as possible. Do not also forget to ask for your Prize Claim Certificate (Lotto Winning Certificate).

CONGRATULATION for being part of our promotion program!

Best regards,

FROM THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
(TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY ( UK ).

N/B: The TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY (UK) International Promotion Program is proudly sponsored by the TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY (UK), in conjunction with the Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell-Computers, Mackintosh and conglomeration of other International IT Companies. The TRANSCORP LOTTO AGENCY (UK) internet draws is conducted annually and it is organized to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide. We are proud to say that up to ($150,000,000.00) One Hundred and Fifty Million United States Dollars are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam