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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.

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")
• 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 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.
  • powerballonline102@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: Powerball lottery <objednavky@ceskykuryr.cz>
Reply-To: powerballonline103@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:41:48 GMT
Subject: REF NUMBER: UK/9420X2/68




THE UK POWERBALL LOTTERY FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT / 2008

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the UK POWERBALL LOTTERY, which was held on September 30th, 2008. Your e-mail address attached to TICKET NUMBER:74454774,with SERIAL NUMBER:144-66584,with DRAW LUCKY NUMBERS:19,27,35,37,39,42-23 that drawn a prize of (500.000.00 GBP)in the Uk powerball Lottery Sweepstakes Award 2008, contact our Claims agent with the following information for clearance.

REQUIRED INFORMATION
FULL NAME
ADDRESS
TEL
SEX
AGE
MARITAL STATUS
OCCUPATION
COUNTRY

Contact claims agent
Mr.Phillip Hanks
Email: powerballonline102@gmail.com

YOUR SECURITY FILE REFERENCE NUMBER IS UK/9420X2/68 . (keep personal).Remember, your winning must be claimed not later than (ONE MONTH OFNOTIFICATION).

Yours Sincerely,
Josef Mestek
LOTTERY CO ORDINATOR

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam