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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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 dollars" (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.
  • +447014264823 (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.
  • virginiaballot@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: VIRGINIA LOTTERY WINNER 2009 <wislampard@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: virginiaballot@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 2 Feb 2009 21:38:33 -0000
Subject: YOU ARE THE VIRGINIA LOTTERY WINNER 2009 CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Content-Type: text/html

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit




YOU ARE THE VIRGINIA LOTTERY WINNER 2009 CONGRATULATIONS!!!





20 Craven Park. Hailstone

London NW10. United Kingdom.

Ref: BTD/968/05

Batch: 409978E



Dear Lucky Winner.,

09

The prestigious Virginia lottery has set out and successfully organized a

Sweepstakes of $550,000.00 (Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand American

Dollars)Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached Ref:

BTD/268/05 with Batch: 409978E and drawn the lucky numbers 24-21-25-39-

00-42 (20) which subsequently won you Virginia Lottery cash top prize 2

$250,000,00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) as one of the jackpot

winners in this drawn conducted on the 24/01/09





The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching

personalized email addresses to ticket numbers, These Draws are

commemorative and as such special. Please note that your lucky winning

number falls within our United Kingdom booklet representative in British as

indicated in your play coupon, In view of this, your $2,000,000.00 (Two Million

Dollars)cheque would be released to you by our Fiduciary Agent in United

Kingdom.





For Claiming of your prize, please contact your Fiduciary Agent: NAME:

MR David Moore with the email stated below.



NAME:MR David Moore

Head,Winning Claims Dept.

Email:virginiaballot@yahoo.co.uk

Phone:+447014264823/+447031864753



You are advised to contact your Fiduciary Agent with the

following details to avoid unnecessary delays and complications with your

claims.



1. Name (in Full):

2. Country of Residence:

3. Address:

4. Direct Telephone No:

5. Age:

6. Sex:

7. Occupation/position:

8. Preferred Mode of Payment:

a) Certified Courier Delivery System:

b) Bank Transfer.





Thank you for being part of this promotional award program.



Sincerely,

MRS. HELEN LARS

Online coordinator for UK VIRGINIA JACKPOT PROMO

Copyright © 2009 UK VIRGINIA JACKPOT Lottery Promotion



All rights reserved. Terms of Service -Guidelines.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam