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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • +447011128527 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Agent William Connor <agentwilliamconor@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: agentwilliamconor_008@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 21:38:16 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: ATTN: Ms Jagrati Chandana (CONTACT TRANSFERRING BANK)


National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)

Ref: BTL/491OXI/04
Batch: 12/25/0304

ATTENTION: Ms Jagrati Chandana,

CONGRATULATIONS! You have been cleared a winner of the UKonline Lottery International programs. Your Original Certificate and Certified bank cheque has been forwarded to the transferring bank, of which contact details are below:

Bank Name: LLOYDS TSB ONLINE BANKING
Contact Person: Mr. Steve Rutherfoord(Forex Allocation Unit Manager)

Email:steverutherfoord@accountant.com
PHONE NUMBERS: +447011128527
+447011128629

FAX NUMBERS: +448709745874
+448709745875
Address: 25 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HN.

You are adviced to contact the transferring bank via the above stated email address so they can transfer your winning prize immediately.

When contacting them, you are to include this Ref number as your subject.

REF NUMBER: EH231282

NOTE: you are to quote your complete names, ref/batch Numbers and direct phone number in other that they may honour your mail.

Do keep us updated on correspondences with the bank. Once again I say congratulations.

Fiduciary Agent,
Ukonline International Lottery



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam