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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: "mrs.carol_21 Gazeta.pl" <mrs.carol_21@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: brian.hollis909@live.co.uk
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:22:11 +0000
Subject: BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION


*The National Lottery*
*P O Box 1010*
*Liverpool, L70 1N*
*UNITED KINGDOM*
*(Customer Services)*
*Ref: UK/9420X2/68*
*Batch: 074/06/ZY369*


*FINAL WINNING NOTIFICATION :*

*Dear Lucky Winner,*

*RE: BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION*

*It has come to our notice that your winning funds are still unclaimed. This
notification has been sent to you several times without response. This is
the final notice. The initial notice sent to you was to notify** you**
of**the draw (#12
**19**) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, Online Sweepstakes International Lottery
Program held on **29th March 2008**,** **Participants were selected through
a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over 25,000 names drawn from
Europe, America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, parts of Africa,
and North & South America as * **
** **
** *The result of our computer draw (#1219) selected your name and email
address attached to e-ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number
5627635368/07 drew the lucky numbers: 04, 06, 11, 17, 31, 41(bonus no.44),
which subsequently won you the lottery in the 1st category i.e. match 6. You
have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £2,214,747 (Two *
** *PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM*
** **
** *Please be informed that claims not processed within the stipulated
period may be forfeited to the pool without further notice. Our agent will
immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as
soon as you contact him. You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with
the particulars presented below sending the batch and reference numbers and
these information below for quick verifications and release of funds.
between the hours of 8.00am - 7.30pm on Monday through Sunday. Note that
your claim is valid until 15th July 2008.*
** **
** *CLAIMS DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFO;*
** **
** *Brain Hollis *
** *Email: brian.hollis909@live.co.uk<http://uk.mc272.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=brian.hollis909@live.co.uk>
*
** **
** *You are therefore advised to send the following information to the
claims department to facilitate the verification on your winning.*
** **
** *1. Full name: ...................... *
** *2. Country: ................................*
** *3. Contact Address: .....................................*
** *4. Telephone Number: ...............................*
** *5. Marital Status: ..........................*
** *6. Occupation.: ...............................*
** *7. Age: .............................*
** **
** **
** *Congratulations!! once again.*
** *Yours in service,*
** **
** **
** *MRS CAROL SMITH.*
** *(Public Relations Officer) *

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam