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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:
  • "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 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.
  • +447024037471 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: BNL Desk <bnl.live@live.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:45:06 +0000
Subject: Claim


During the just concluded british lottery draws, your e-mail address attached to

an electronic ticket number: 56475600545 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:01 25 26 27 39 49 which has subsequently won you this lottery in the 2nd category of this lottery draws.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £800,000 ($1, 650, 000) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.

To file for your claim, provide the information below:

Name:
Address:
Age:
Sex:
Nationality:
Country of residence:
Telephone number:
Cell phone number:

Note that in line with our winners safety policy, you are expected to keep all details of this email to yourself.

Mr. Winston Webber
British National Lottery Fiduciary Agent
Phone Number: +(44) 702 403 7471


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam