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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:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • +447092849754 (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.
  • agent2245@googlemail.com

Fraud email example:

From: YAHOO 2009 ONLINE LOTTERY AWARD <yalot2009management02@msn.com>
Reply-To: <agent2245@googlemail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 May 2009 17:40:26 +0000
Subject: You have won yahoo 2009 lottery award, Congratulations!!
















Attention: Award Winner,

Today 25/05/2009, your e-mail id was selected through the computer ballot
System, as a winner of our Yahoo online lottery program. You have to contact your claim agent for your payment process and include your personal information for smooth transaction.

Stated below are your identification numbers:

BATCH NUMBER: MFI/06/APA-43658
REFERENCE NUMBER: 2008234522
PIN: 1206, WINNING NUMBER: 01,14,21,30,35,48

Agent's Name: Peterson Isaac
E-Mail: agent2245@googlemail.com

Tel: +447092849754,
+447092849753
Fax: +447006086279

You are advised to call and send the following information to your Claims Agent to facilitate the release of your fund to you.

1. Name:..........................................., 2.Address:...........................................
3.Marital Status:................................4.Occupation:........................................
5.My Date of birth...................... 6.Sex:..........................................
7.Nationality:................................. 8.Residence:...................................
9. Telephone Number:......................... 10.Fax Number:................................
11Ref Number:.................................
13.PIN: Number:.............................. 14. Amount Won:................................
15. Batch Number:..............................

Amount Won is £820, 000, 00(Eight hundred &twenty thousand British pounds) you have to contact your claim agent not later than three working days.

Yours Truly,
Dr. (Mrs.)Ruth Morgan

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam