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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")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million us 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)
• 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.
  • +447011128168 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: eddy3@mchsi.com (POWERBALL-WHEEL E-GAME 2008<funds_approval01@live.com>)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:40:01 +0000
Subject: RefNr:PBL/CN/6654/CP


POWERBALL LOTTO. BV
POWERBALL-WHEEL E-GAME 2008.
International Promotions Award Department
Power Ball Lottery Mega Jackpot
United Kingdom. 92 old Fetter
Lane London, EC4A 1AG U. K.

Dear Consolation Prize Winner; This email confirms that you have been notified
by the POWERBALL INTER LOTTO B.V UNITED KINGDOM, of your email lottery
winning for 2008 Powerball Lotto - Wheel E-game held on the 26th of February
2008. We wish to congratulate you on the selection of your email coupon number
which was selected among the 45 lucky consolation prize winners.Your email ID
identified with Coupon No.PBL2348974321 and was selected by Electronic Random
Selection System (ERSS) with entries from the 50,000 different email addresses
enrolled for the Lotto-Wheel E-game.

Prize RefNr:PBL/CN/6654/CP. Lottery Group: Consolation Prize Group.
Your email ID was included among the 50,000 different email addresses
submitted by our partner
international email provider companies.
You have won a consultation cash prize of ($2.000.000 million US Dollars)
only.

FILL the following information below and send it to this emaill address:

Email:funds_approval01@live.com

1,FULL NAME........
2,YOUR ADDRESS...........
3,TELEPHONE NUMBER.......
4,COUNTRY/NATIONALITY.....

To claim your prize, please contact:
Fiduciary Agent Mr James Cole ,(CLAIMS PROCESSING CO-ORDINATOR)
TEL:+447011128168
Email:funds_approval01@live.com.

You are required to contact your claims agent immediately with your correct
contact information for verification.

Regards
Mrs Nelly White
(Group Coordinator)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam