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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")
  • "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447035902549 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • barr_johnfordmanesq@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "YAHOO ! LOTTERY INTL INC" <barr_johnfordmanesq@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:56:01 GMT
Subject: Yahoo! Lottery Winner !!!

YAHOO ! LOTTERY INTL INC
Barley House Harold Road
Sutton, Greater London Sm1 4te
United Kingdom.
Ref: KPC/9080118308/02
Batch: 12/25/DC34

Dear Sir/Madam,

We happily announce to you the draw of the Yahoo! Lottery
International programme held on the 16th of june 2008 in
London.Your e-mail address attached to Ticket number:
56475600545 188 with Serial number5388/02 drew the Lucky
numbers: 31-6-26-13-35-7,which subsequently won you the
lottery in the 2nd category. You are therefore,been approved
to claim a total sum of 800,000.00 GBP(Eight Hundred
Thousand Pound Stelling)in cash credited to file
kPC/9080118308/02.

This is from a total cash prize of 8 Million Pound Stelling,
shared amongst the first TEN(10)lucky winners in this
category. Please note that your lucky winning number falls
within our European booklet representative office in Europe
as indicated in our play coupon. In view of this,your
800,000.00 GBP ( Eight Hundred Thousand Pound Stelling).

Our agent will immediately commence the process to
facilitate the release of your funds to you as soon as you
make contact with him. All participants were selected
randomly from World Wide Website through computer draw
system and extracted from over 100,000 companies.
Thispromotion takes place annually.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning
information confidential till your claims is processed and
your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent
with the below details for processing of your claims.

Name: Barrister John Fordman Esq
Email: barr_johnfordmanesq@yahoo.co.uk
TEL: +44-703-590-2549

*FULL NAMES.............................
*NATIONALITY.....................
*AGE..........
*DATE OF BIRTH.........................
*SEX.........
*MARITAL STATUS..................................
*CONTACT ADDRESS......................
*TELEPHONE NUMBER..............................
*OCCUPATION........................
*WINNING E-MAIL ADDRESS......................
*REF/ BATCH NUMBERS.................
*TOTAL AMOUNT WON....................................

We have three major options of delivering winnings to our
winners at Yahoo lottery International,please we will like
you to indicate the option thatis preferable to you as
stated below:

1) TRAVELLING TO THE PAYMENT CENTRE FOR CASH COLLECTION
(Send flight itinerary to confirm your arrival/appointment
Date}:..........................

(2) Via courier service:.....................

(3) Via bank transfer:.......................

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote
your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us
or our designated agent .Congratulations once more from all
members and staffs of this programme.Thank you for being
part of our promotional lottery programme.

Sincerely,
Mr.Steve Scott.
Yahoo zonal coordinator .
The Yahoo.com staff
Yahoo.com http://www.yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam