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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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• 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")
• 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.
  • claimsdesk_danny001@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY" <lawlukic@doboj.net>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:55:57 +0100
Subject: Attn: Winner,


Attn: Winner,

We are pleased to inform you of the final announcement that you are
one of our end of the month of JULY winners of the UNITED KINGDOM
NATIONAL LOTTERY ONLINE PROMO PROGRAMMER, Ref: UKLOSL/941OYI/67 Batch:
19/47/1167 held on the 26th of February, 2008. You have therefore been
approved to claim a total sum of £178,300.00.GBP. Please contact
fiduciary agent for your claims.

Contact Agent
Mr. Danny Alvares.
Email:claimsdesk_danny001@hotmail.com

CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM:
FULL NAMES:
ADDRESS:
SEX:
DATE OF BIRTH:
MARITAL STATUS:
NATIONALITY:
OCCUPATION:
AMOUNT WON:
COUNTRY RESIDENT:
_________________________________________________________
This mail sent using V-webmail - http://www.v-webmail.org

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam