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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  • +447031970562 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Thomas C. Ray" <tray@Olivetcollege.edu>
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 17:39:54 -0400
Subject: Award Notice!!!.... reply to <mrwilson_evans@live.com>

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMO
Headquarters: 60 Merriman Road Blackheath London SE3 8RZ England.
This Email is to inform you that you emerged a winner of £2,500,000 on our online draws which was played on the 3nd of June, 2008.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 564 75600545-188 with serial number 5388/02 drew lucky numbers 7-14-18-31-45, which consequently won in the 2ND category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of2,500,000 GBP(Two Million, five hundred thousand Pounds Sterling ).
You were randomly selected for the online version from world wide web sites through a computer drawn system extracted from over 100,000 companies. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in our play coupon. In view of this, your £2,500,000.00 (Two million, five hundred thousand,Great Britain Pounds) would be released to you by our affiliate bank in London as soon as you establish contact.
Ref. Number...... .BTL/491OXI/04
Batch Number...... 12/25/0304
Ticket Number..... 564 75600545-188
Serial Number......5388/02
To file for your claim, contact our fiduciary agent via the below details;
AGENT: Mr. Wilson Evans
Email: mrwilson_evans@live.com
Phone: +44 703 197 0562
Remember to quote your reference information in all correspondence. You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public especially your reference numbers.(This is important as a case of double claims will not be entertained). Members of the affiliate agencies are automatically not allowed to participate in this program.
You are hereby advised to send us the following;
1.Full names...................................
2.Residential address..........................
3.Phone number.................................
4.Fax number...................................
5.Occupation...................................
6.Sex..........................................
7.Age..........................................
8.Nationality..................................
9.Email Address................................
10.Batch number............................
11.Serial number.............................
12.Ref . number................................
Faithfully,
Woodgate Henry, Esq.
Zone Co-ordinator for BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY.
Sweepstakes International Program.
CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE MEMBERS AND STAFF OF BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam