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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • +4407092857329

Fraud email example:

From: "UK NATIONAL LOTTERY INC" <web45@jomino.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: claimsdept@uknl2008.co.uk
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 12:24:16 +0100
Subject: AWARD DEPARTMENT


FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT.

We announce today the external draw #3011 of the UK Stake National
Lottery draw held on the 19th May, 2008 in the United Kingdom.
Your email address was attached to Ticket Number 807/510054/08, with
Serial number 99010, which won in the 2nd Category.

You have been approved for payment the sum of £1,000,000:00 (One
Million Great British Pounds) credited to file with REF NO:
UKNL/98710/HA/08 and Batch No.10050UKNL.

To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary claim Agent;
====================================
Name: Dr. Ellis D. Bryan
Email: claimsdept@uknl2008.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 709 285 7329.
Fax: +44 (0) 870 471 1231.
===================================

Please remember to quote your Reference and Batch Numbers
along with the following details:

NAME:.........
MAILLING ADDRESS:........
EMAIL:..........
COUNTRY:..........
PHONE/FAX NUMBER:......
AGE:.......
SEX;........
OCCUPATION:......

upon your confirmation email to the claim agent. All
prize money must beclaimed not later than the 20th of June 2008.

Congratulations!!!

Sincerely,
Susan Wright
Zonal Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam