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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:
  • "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 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.
  • fredchatters@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Brodt-Eppley, Julia Kathryn Dr." <eppleyjk@muohio.edu>
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:05:36 -0400
Subject: COMPENSATION AND FINANCE HOUSE HEAD OFFICE

COMPENSATION AND FINANCE HOUSE HEAD OFFICE
Finance and Security House
United Kingdom Lottery
FSH Towers
Chelsea T45H U.K.

CONGRATULATIONS

I am happy to inform you that you emerge as one of the winners in the lucky pick of email address on the web. The cheque won is used as a
compensation to the numerous internet users, and gotten from the non-claims of winning check of last years lotto winners in the UK lottery international
promotions which is jointly sponsored by yahoo inc,google and microsoft.

To that effect, We had to organise a lucky dip of all e-mail addresses which have visited the sites owned by the sponsores of this lottery on the web and
sectioned them into zones such as the europe, asia,america, africa and the rest.
Your winning had been sent down to the compensation agent in charge of your zone in the person of Mr FRED CHATTERS. You will have to make contact with him,
and follow due procedures to effect the claims of your package which contains a winning check of $200,000dollars(USD) for your prompt claims.

All you need do is reach the compensation agent Mr FRED CHATTERS through this
e-mail address: fredchatters@gmail.com with the following information; Full Names, Residential Address, Phone Number,Fax
Number, Occupation, Sex, Age,Nationality, Present Country.

Do foward the information above to your agent in person of Mr. Fred Chatters via the email address listed above.

P /S: This information is needed for verification so as to avoid double claims.

Congratulations once again.

Mr JAMES. EPPLY.
United Kingdom Lottery

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam