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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447045722133 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Garvin Wallace <lotteryremittancefunds@britishtaxdept.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 19:22:17 +0000
Subject: CASH-OUTLOTTOBV:Ref.NO. BLF/0073883/07 (CONGRATULATIONS)





>From : Mr.Gavin Wallace
Claims Agent/ Remittance Officer.
NATIONAL CASH-OUT LOTTO BV CASH-OUT PLAZA, SUITE 1102A
PO BOX 42 PETERBOROUGH PE3 8XH, UNITED KINGDOM.




Dear Winner,

CONGRATULATION LETTER!

Lucky Numbers:
Bonus Number:


In all your correspondence (e-mails) to me, this is to notify you that your email have been verified by this office and this is to finally inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the NATIONAL CASH-OUT LOTTO BV Online Electronic Emails Sweepstakes. and your e-mail was among the ten (10) Lucky winners who won Nine Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Eight Hundred and Ten Pounds (£915,810.00) each in cash. All participant emails were selected randomly through a computer balloting system drawn from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions programme which is conducted annually. The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), United Kingdom approves this lottery and also the National Lottery Commission United Kingdom is responsible for licensing and also regulating this Online Electronic Emails Sweepstakes.

Meanwhile, you're advice by this office to choose from the below three mode of payment, which will be more convenient for to receive your prize from us.


Transfer of your prize through our Paying Bank to your Account:

Sending you a cheque through a Courier Company here in the UK:

Receiving your Prize in Cash here in our office:


However, as soon as we receive your response to this mail, payment will be issued immediately along with your Certified Winning Certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the NATIONAL CASH-OUT LOTTO BV.


WARNING THAT WAS GIVEN TO WINNERSHigh confidentiality must be kept, this is strictly for security of funds, to enable safe remittance to you in whatever way you deem convenient and affordable. Failure to maintain the confidentiality will lead to disqualification/cancellation of your prize.
Congratulations once again on your winnings!
Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Gavin A. Wallace
Claims Agent/ Remittance Officer.
Tel: +44)704 572 2133
Fax:+44) 871 263 8341

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam