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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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)
  • "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
• 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: "fischer desmond" <d.f6520@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:43:51 +0100
Subject: YOU WON !!!


THE UK ONLINE LOTTERY
UK OFFICE
7, West End Avenue .
Cheshire , London U.K
Dear Winner,
You have been selected as one of the winners of the UKNL online Email
lotteryYour Email address was drawn from a random selection of Two
Million Email addresses drawn from 4 continents.You have won a cash
price of £1,000000 One Million British Pounds only.To begin your
claims process, contact our delegated fiduciary Agent. Mr. fischer
desmond .You are required to contact the fiduciary agent within 48
hours on receipt of this mail.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Regards,
Mary Jones
*** Staff of UKNL and individuals below the age of 16 is prohibited by
law from participating in this draw

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam