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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:
  • "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.
  • +31619026955 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • first_finance@excite.com
  • first_finance@excite.com

Fraud email example:

From: "winnersinfo staats" <staatswinnersinfo@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 11:57:10 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL AWARD!!!

STAATSLOTERIJ.NL
No 21 EGGER-STRAAT
28089 AMSTERDAM/NETHERLANDS

FROM: THE PROMOTION DIRECTOR
RESULTS FOR THE SECOND CATEGORY DREW
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS DEPT.
REF: STAT/234729609/K1
BATCH: STAX/269233/JK

ATTN;WINNER,
RE:WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL AWARD:


We are pleased to inform you of the release, of the long awaited results of
the STAATSLOTERIJ/INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAMES NL held on 20th of
October 2005. Reference Number: STAT/234729609/K1, and Batch number BATCH:
STAX/269233/JK

Your email address attached to the ticket number:TK/4693659BV that drew the
lucky winning number, which consequently won the loterij in the second
category in four parts. You have been approved for a payment of
1,000,000.00Euro (ONE MILLION EURO) in cash credited to file reference
number:HPL/4247159609/WP1. This is from a total cash prize of TEN MILLION
EUROS Shared among the ten international winners that won the second
categories.

Congratulations!!!

All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot system
drawn form 42,000 Names, 6,000 names from each continent, as part of
International "E-MAIL" Promotions Program, for our prominent MS WORD user
all over the world, and for the Continues use of E-mail.
Due to mixed up of some names and addresses, we ask that you keep this award
personal, till your claims has been processed and your funds remitted to
you.

This is part of our security measures to avoid double claiming or
unwarranted taking advantage of the situation by other participants or
impersonators.To begin your claim, do file for the release of your winning
by contacting our accredited agent:

Mr.Larry Vanderpool.
Foreign Transfer Manager.
First Finance & Securities
Tel: +31 619-026-955
Fax: +31 847-300-758
Email:first_finance@excite.com

NOTE: All winnings must be notarized to complete the claim process because
you were randomly selected for this draw through your email address, so the
notarization process is vital because with this we can legally ascertain
that the lucky email address as well as the winning details do in fact
belong to you.Contact the Foreign Transfer Manager,to have your winnings
notarized.Winners are to cover the legal charges not First Finance &
Securities.

Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please
remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all
correspondence.They are your agent, and responsible for the processing and
transfer of your winnings fund to you.

YOUR SECURITY FILE NUMBER IS S/23467/C4 (keep personal) Remember, your
winning must be claimed not later than (30-10-2005) After this date, funds
might be returned to the unclaimed. Furthermore, should there be any change
in your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as
possible.

Yours truly,

Mrs. Rita Macaay.
STAATSLOTERIJ.NL
THE PROMOTION DIRECTOR.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM (NL)

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to
disqualification. Please do notreply to this mail. Contact your claims agent
Mr.Larry Vanderpool. at:first_finance@excite.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam