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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
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• 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!
• 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.
  • +447031920619 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448704792483 (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.
  • wellps1@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:47:28 -0500
Subject: Your Email Attached to E-ticket Number: 56475600545188 Contact Mr.Well Paulson.

Dear Winner,

We are happy to inform you that you have emerged as a winner under the Category "B" of the 2008 Online UK Lottery
(International Promotion) held on the 10th of Nov 2008 in London.

Your e-mail address was attached to e-ticket number: 56475600545188, Ref: UK/9420X2/68 and Batch: 074/05/ZY369. subsequently
won you the sum of £ 600,000.00 (Six Hundred Thousand Great British Pound) in category "B" with Ref: UK/9420X2/68.

To file for the processing of your prize sum payment, you are advised to contact our Certified and Accredited claims agent
for category "B"winners with the information below:
Contact Person: Mr. Well Paulson.
Email: wellps1@yahoo.com.hk
Tel: +44-703-192-0619
Fax:+ 44-870-479-2483
All information is strictly confidential and will only be used for the purpose to which it is been requested.

Note that, all claims processes and clearance procedures must be duly completed early to avoid impersonation or double
claiming.

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Compton,William
Online Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam