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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: "YAHOO NATIONAL LOTTERY" <mrsmariafreewill1@live.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:29:14 GMT
Subject: ESTEEMED WINNER!


Yahoo National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw of the Yahoo Lottery Intl Inc programs =
held on August 2008 in London. Your e-mail address attached to ticket =
number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: =
31-6-2613357,which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category. =
You are therefore,been approved to claim atotal sum of =C2=A3500,000.00 =
for the month of August 2008 lottery win promotion which is organized by =
MSN & YAHOO LOTTERY INTL INC .Every month.

IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS:
Batch number............YBM-WBS-2007390AF
Reff number...............YBM-WBS-200704522AF
Winning number.........YBM-WBS-200778AF

These numbers above fall within the United Kingdom agent's Location =
file, you are requested to contact him and send your Identification =
Numbers and Personal Information to him:

CLAIMS PROCESSING LOTTERY AGENT CONTACT INFORMATION:
Claims Agent : Mrs Maria Freewill
E-mail: mrsmariafreewill1=40live.com

Send your Identification Numbers/Your Personal Information to him so that =
he will proceed further for your prize claim immediately:

PERSONAL INFORMATION
1. Full name..................
2. Country....................
3. Contact Address......
4. Telephone Number..
5. Marital Status.........
6. Occupation..............
7. Age..........................
8. Sex...........................

Congratulations once more=21=21

Yours faithfully,
Brain Hunt,
Online coordinator
YAHOO NATIONAL LOTTERY. =

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam