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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million pounds" (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)
  • ",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.
  • +447045782276 (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.
  • dr.walt_collins@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3adr.walt_collins@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY BOARD" <australiandraws1@torba.com>
Reply-To: dr.walt_collins@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:24:55 +0100
Subject: YOU HAVE WON THE LOTTERY!!!!! CONTACT FOR PAYMENT


*AUstralia National Lottery
The Marina Offices, St Peters Yacht Basin,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1HX
England
Ref: UK/9420X2/70
Batch: 074/05/ZY345



WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw (1155) of the AUSTRALIA NATIONAL
LOTTERY,
online Sweepstakes International program." Your e-mail address" attached
to ticket number:"56475600545 188" with Serial number" 5368/02" drew the
lucky numbers: 12. 17. 21. 25. 31. 37. [30] Bonus Ball' which subsequently
won you the lottery in the 1st category i.e. match 5. You have therefore
been approved to claim a total sum of "¡ò1,000.000.00
(Four Million Pounds Sterling)" in cash credited to file
"KTU/9023118308/03."

This is from a total cash prize of ¡ò3,000,000" shared amongst the (3)
lucky winners in this category i.e. Match 5 plus bonus. All participants
for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web
sites through computer draw system and extracted from over "100,000"
unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online This
promotion takes place weekly.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European
booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play
coupon. In view of this, your of "¡ò1,000.000.00 (One Million Pounds
Sterling)" would be released to you by any of our "payment offices" in
Europe.

Our European agent" will immediately commence the process to facilitate
the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.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 "claim your prize". This is part of our
precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse
of this program. Please be warned.

To file for your Claim,Please contact our fiduciary agent below:
Dr Walter Collins Jnr.
Email:dr.walt_collins@hotmail.com <Email%3Adr.walt_collins@hotmail.com>
<http://us.f574.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=dr.walt_collins@hotmail.com>
Tel: +44 704 578 2276

Sincerely,
Norris Wayner.
AUSTRALIA NATIONAL LOTTERY Member Services
Sweepstakes International Program.

Warning! Fraudulent emails are circulating that appears to be using
Australia Lottery addresses, but are not from The National Lottery.
PLEASE REPORT IMMEDIATELY*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam