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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:
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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: "Sean Carter" <seancarter.claimsagent@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:48:12 -0800
Subject: UK LOTTERY VERIFICATION FORM FILL AND RETURN ASAP...


Dear John Maciver,



Your email has been received. We the entire staff of UK National lottery
congratulate you once again for being one of our lucky winners in this year
lottery promotion Sweepstakes. Please attached here is the claim
verification and funds release form. You are expected to fill and submit it
back to the fiduciary agent immediately via email. Once again
congratulations.



VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM



1. FULL NAMES: __________________________________



2. ADDRESS: _____________________________________



3. SEX: _______________



4. AGE: ________



5. MARITAL STATUS: ___________________



6. OCCUPATION: ________________________



7. E-MAIL ADDRESS: _____________________________



8. TEL AND FAX NUMBERS: _____________________



9. REFERENCE NUMBERS: _UK/9420X2/70



10. BATCH NUMBER: 074/05/ZY345



11. SERIAL NUMBER: 5368/02



12. AMOUNT WON: £3,500.000.00 (Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Pound
Sterling)



13. STATE: __________________________________



14. COUNTRY_______________________________



15. MODE OF COLLECTING WINNINGS_______________BANK TRANSFER OR COURIER
SERVICES



Upon receipt of the duly requested data, I will send you the contact
information of the paying Bank so you can proceed with effecting the release
of your claims.



Note: This Lottery was won via a selection of email addresses, which yours
was selected and qualified you as a winner. Any funds unclaimed shall be
returned to this office as unclaimed and used for our up coming mega jackpot
games.



Regards,



Mr. SEAN CARTER

(Fiduciary Agent

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam