419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "million united states 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 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.
- kenedyrhyma@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mark@bravo.datacentre.sk, Elliot@bravo.datacentre.sk,
Zuckerberg@bravo.datacentre.sk, <"Mark ElliotZuckerberg, "@aol.com>
Reply-To: kenedyrhyma@rocketmail.com
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 21:32:20 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Attention Beneficiary

CONGRATULATION!!! CONGRATULATION!!! CONGRATULATION!!!

You have been selected as one among the ten lucky winners in this year Facebook online splash promo normally holds every year since Facebook has become a success and highly accepted Worldwide. Ten stable Facebook accounts are selected from all the regions by our Internet Processing Unit out of millions of Facebook users, Ten lucky winners have been selected from all the continents currently connected to the Facebook network around the World.

Winning Award attached to TICKET NUMBER (812374592611), BALLOT NUMBER (BT: 003632149/62) and WINNING NUMBER: (W43197AD)

Your Account emerged as the 6th beneficiary in this Promo and was chosen at random by our Digital Random Internet Processing Service (D.R.I.P.S) and your reward is coming from the interests generated from advertising and copyrights from the Facebook network and this program is fully supported by i, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg {CEO/Founder of Facebook} and the members of staff for the World Gambling promotional program and Lottery Sweepstakes.

Congratulations once again from Facebook, You are entitled to the sum of $2,000,000:00 (Two million United States Dollars), being the Sum given out as compensation for your patronage on Facebook.

Being the 6th Beneficiary out of the Ten for this Year's Facebook Promotional Lottery Sweepstakes, You fall in the 2nd Category for the winnings which is Category{B},LONDON. Payment District in UNITED STATE with your fiduciary Agent information being given below:

Fiduciary Agent: Dr Kennedy Rhyma
Email Address: kenedyrhyma@rocketmail.com

Go ahead and contact him with the below information as soon as you get this notification and get your cash prize of {$2,000,000.00},Two million United States Dollars as soon as possible as some winners among those that won have already gotten theirs.

FULL NAME: ...............................................
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS: .....................................
TELEPHONE NUMBER: .....................................
OCCUPATION: ..............................................
MARITAL STATUS AND AGE: ...................................
GENDER: ...........................................
COUNTRY/NATIONALITY: ......................................
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS: .............................................
TICKET NUMBER: ...........................................
BALLOT NUMBER: ............................................
WINNING NUMBER: ............................................

N.B: Do not disclose this to anyone until you have successfully claimed your cash prize for security reasons.
We have had cases where last winners complained of someone else claiming their prizes and accounts being forged and tendered for the prize money. For security reasons, You have to quote your TICKET NUMBER, BALLOT NUMBER and WINNING NUMBER as your subject when you are getting to your fiduciary agent.

Officially Endorsed by Mark Elliot Zuckerberg,
CEO/Founder of Facebook,
All rights reserved(C) 2012 FACEBOOK ONLINE SPLASH PROMO !!!

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam