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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.
  • +447031923442 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: KATHRYN PEARE <peare.3@osu.edu>
Reply-To: mark.harolds@live.com
Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:16:51 -0700
Subject: file ktu/9023118308/03

=3CBR=3E=3CBR=3EWe happily announce to you the promo result = =3CBR=3Eof the IRISH NATIONAL LOTTERY=2Conline = =3CBR=3ESweepstakes International Programme held on = =3CBR=3Ethe 12th April 2008 in London=2CUnited Kingdom=2E = =3CBR=3EYour e-mail address attached to = =3CBR=3ESERIAL NUMBER 5368/02=2C LUCKY NUMBER = =3CBR=3E6-10-11-19-22-46-40=2EYou aretherefore been = =3CBR=3Eapproved to claim a total sum of =A3850=2C000=2E = =3CBR=3ECredited to file ktu/9023118308/03=2E = =3CBR=3ETo file for your claims you are to fill the verification = =3CBR=3Eform below and returned to your assigned Fiduciary agent=27s = =3CBR=3Eemail address as shown below=3A = =3CBR=3E =3CBR=3EOfficial=3A Mark Harolds(Mr=2E) = =3CBR=3EEmail=3Amark=2Eharolds=40live=2Ecom = =3CBR=3ETel=3A+44 70319 23442 = =3CBR=3E+44 70457 96038 = =3CBR=3E =3CBR=3EFUND RELEASE VERIFICATION FORM=2E = =3CBR=3E1=2EFull Names=3A(Surname First)=2E 2=2EAddress=3An = =3CBR=3E3=2ECountry=3A 4=2ETelephone=3A 5=2EGender=3A = =3CBR=3E6=2EMarital Status=3A 7=2EAge=3A 8=2EOccupation=3A = =3CBR=3E9=2EEmail Address=3A = =3CBR=3E =3CBR=3EYours Sincerely=2C = =3CBR=3EKathryn Peare=2E = =3CBR=3EAnnouncer=2E = =3CBR=3EIrnl-Online =A9 2008 Co-ordinator=2E =3CBR=3E=3CBR=3E=3CBR=3E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam