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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "part of our security protocols" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +2348066361815 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mark_williams_mayor@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "yahoomsn2008 Gazeta.pl" <yahoomsn2008@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: mark_williams_mayor@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 09:14:18 +0100
Subject: Congratulations!!! Your email has won a Bonanza Award of 485 000 GB Pounds


*[image: YAHOO! MAIL]* ** **
**




** * CONGRATULATIONS!!!
*
** **
** * **
**WINNING NOTIFICATION !* *Dear Sir/Madam:

***
**We are delighted to inform you that you have won a prize money of Four
Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand Great Britain Pounds (GBP485,000) for the
2008 New Year Bonanza Prize Promotion which is Organized by YAHOO AWARDS &
WINDOWS LIVE.

YAHOO! collects all the email addresses of the people that are active
online, among the millions that subscribed to Yahoo and Hotmail and few from
other e-mail providers. Six people are selected monthly to benefit from this
promotion and you are one of the Selected Winners.

* ** PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM
*
Winners shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement Centre. Yahoo
Prize Award must be claimed not later than 15 days from date of Draw
Notification. Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.
**
Stated below are your identification numbers:*
*
*BATCH NUMBER: *YPA/07-43658
*REFERENCE NUMBER: *2007234522
*PIN: *1206
*
*These numbers fall within the England Location file and you are requested
to contact our fiduciary agent in Manchester and send your winning
identification numbers to him;
**
*Agent Name: *REV *MARK WILLIAMS*
*E-Mail: mark_williams_mayor@yahoo.com
Tel: +2348066361815*
* *
As soon as our agent hears from you, he shall commence the process that will
facilitate the release of your fund to you. You are therefore advice to
furnish your claims agent with the below informations:

FULL NAME:......................................................
COUNTRY:........................................................
HOME ADDRESS:................................................
MOBILE NUMBER:...............................................
HOME NUMBER:.................................................
AGE:................................................................
SEX:................................................................
MARITAL STATUS:............................................
OCCUPATION:..................................................
ANNUAL INCOME IN POUNDS...........................


For security reasons, we advise all winners to keep this information
confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize
released to you.

This is part of our security protocols to avoid double claiming and
unwarranted taking advantage of this programme by non-winners or unofficial
personnel.


Otherwise all funds will be returned as Unclaimed and eventually donate to
charity .

Congratulations, once more from the entire Management and Staff of
YAHOO AWARDS
& WINDOWS LIVE. to all our lucky winners this year. Thank you for being part
of this promotional lottery programme.
*
**
* * [image: (Photograph)] *
* Mrs Carol Jones *
*(Online Co-ordinator) *
*
*
* *
* Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Carol Jones
On line co-ordinator for
*YAHOO AWARDS & WINDOWS LIVE *PROGRAMME,
Sweepstakes International program.

* *WARNING!!!* ** You are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claim your prize money.This is part of our
precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this
program.Please be warned!!!!.
*Contact Adress : 124 Stockport Road, Longsight, Manchester M60 2DB -
United Kingdom (c) .*
*
<http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/_javascript:ol%28%27http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/__javascript:olhttp://www.freelotto.com/offer.asp?offer%253d43761%2526amp;FID%253dfa7d27913658;%27%29;>
* **
We hope you're enjoying your new Yahoo! Mail account.
Now take the next step and claim your money and say thanks to Yahoo!.
You select how to transfer the prize money to you:
Cheque Delivery To Your Address Bank Account Transfer

Indicate this when contacting your claim agent .
* **[image: You must be 16 or over to play or claim a
prize]*

* *

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam