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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 british 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)
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +447024060804 (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.
  • gbrpresscharles@walla.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Tina Peters" <infotinaoffice@walla.com>
Reply-To: infotinaoffice1@walla.com
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:14:26 +0100
Subject: RE: UK WINNING NOTIFICATION.

Ref: UK/FNL/DRAW/256-008
Batch: TYRE56756

RE: UK WINNING NOTIFICATION.

We happily announce to you the draw (#1081) of the FREE
LOTTO AWARDS, online Sweepstakes International program held
in UK. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:
56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/08 drew the lucky
numbers: 09-11-22-39-40-42(bonus no.12), which subsequently
won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 5 plus
bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum
of £1,000,000.00 (One million British Pounds Sterling) in
cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.

E-mail addresses was 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.

Our European agent will immediately commence the process to
facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact
him. To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary
agent with the details below:
Name of Fiduciary Agent: Mr. Gbrpress L. Charles
Email: gbrpresscharles@walla.com
Tel: +44 70240 60804
UK FREE NATIONAL LOTTO AWARDS SERVICE OFFICER.

Note: You are to contact our fiduciary agent immediately and
provide him with these informations:
*NAME:..........................
*ADDRESS:.......................
*COUNTRY:.......................
*NATIONALITY:...................
*OCCUPATION:....................
*SEX:...........................
*EMAIL ADDRESS:.................
*TEL:...........................
*FAX:...........................

Upon the receipt of the above information, he can commence
the release of your winnings to you as soon as possible.
once again congratulation from the board of UK NATIONAL
LOTTO Orginazation.

Tina Peters (Mrs)
Online Coordinator.
FREE LOTTO AWARDS BOARD

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam