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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• 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: Mr Haruya Uehara <kshodonin@iol.cz>
Reply-To: claimsoffice131@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:38:31 GMT
Subject: Your ticket number: 023-0148-790-459




FREE LOTTO SWEEPSTAKES
AWARD DEPARTMENT=2C
UNITED KINGDOM
REF=3A FLS /26510460037/02
BATCH=3A 24/00319/IPD

ATTENTION

Your ticket number=3A023-0148-790-459 Serial number 5368/05
drew the lucky number=3A 29=2E We are pleased to notify you that your =

email address emerged as a winner in our promotional lotto sweepstakes a=
nd as a result you
have been granted the lump sum payout of =A3500=2E000=2E00(G=2EB=2EP) wh=
ich is
equivalentto (=24917=2C956=2E00 USD)=2E
To file for claim of =A3500=2C000 Pounds Contact our Financial Controlle=
r
for Clearance and Release of your funds to you Immediately=2E

Mr=2E Peterson Irvin=3A
claimsoffice131=40yahoo=2Ecom=2Ehk
You are to get back to him with the below claims form duly filled and
returned=2E

1=2EFull Names=3A
2=2EAddress=3A
3=2EAge=3A
4=2ESex=3A
5=2EMarital Status=3A
6=2EOccupation=3A
7=2EPhone and fax numbers =3A
8=2Ecountry=3A

Sincerely=2C
EVA PEDRO(Mrs)=2E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam