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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• 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.
  • ralkin@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: walla@rediffmail.com
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:20:47 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS (PLEASE DONT IGNORE)


Uk National Lottery
Ref: L/200-26937
Batch: 2008MJL-08
Email: ralkin@rediffmail.com
ONLINE WINNING NOTIFICATION
Dear Winner
We are pleased to inform you of October, 2008 result of the winners of the UK =
NATIONAL LOTTERY ONLINE PROMO PROGRAMME, held on the 18th of October 2008.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545188 with Serial =
number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 3-10-12-30-39-40 (bonus No. 23),
which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus =
bonus.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of =A3500.000.00 =
(Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to file =
XYL/26510460037/06.
To file for your claim, please contact our claims agent;
NAME: ROBERT ALKIN
Email: ralkin@rediffmail.com
Provide him with the following information:
Full Name:
Telephone Number:
Address:
Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this UK NATIONAL =
LOTTERY.
Sincerely,
Brant Hunt
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam