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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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.
  • espfreelotto@yahoo.ca
  • agentlotcom@aim.com

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS LINA ARANGO" <award_department@zwallet.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2006 14:20:55 +0100
Subject: FINAL NOTICE

FROM: THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
EU. PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDS DEPARTMENT
REF Nº: EGS/3251256003/03
BATCH Nº:14/0217/2P
C/ Guzman Bueno nº 135
28003 Madrid, España.
DATE: 3rd. Febraury, 2006.



ATTN:DEAR WINNER,



AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL NOTICE

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the -EUROMILLIONES
INTERNATIONAL FORTUNE. PROGRAM which was held on the 25th
NOVEMBER, 2005. Your name attached to a ticket number 025-11464992-749 with serial number 2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 01-06-27-39-47 with complcomplimentary;Nº 1,withdrawal Nº 6 which consequently won the lottery in the 2ND category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of EUROS(€735,259.19 €) (Seven Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Nine Euros Nineteen Cent only ) in cash credited to the file reference number: EGS/2251256003/04.This is from a total cash price of (€2,205,777.60) ( TWO MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN EUROS SIXTY CENTS) shared among three (3) international winners in this grand category.


CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Your funds is now deposited in a suspense account with our paying Bank
insured to your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names,
we advice that you keep this award from public notice until your claims
has been processed and your money remitted to your nominated bank
account as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or
unwarranted taking advantage of this program by the general public.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from 25,000 names and E-mail addresses from Asia, Australia, New
Zealand, Europe and North America as part of our international promotions
program which we conduct twice every year.
We hope that with part of your prize, you will part-take in our summer
(mid-year) high stake promotions agenda of EUROS-1,3BILLION international
lottery.

To claim your Prize, please contact your claims agent
*********************************************************************
MR.PHILLY JONES.
E-mail: / espfreelotto@yahoo.ca./ <mailto:espfreelotto@yahoo.ca./> www.elgordo.com <http://www.elgordo.com/> AGENTLOTCOM@AIM.COM <http://r03.webmail.aol.com/15106/aim/en-us/Mail/display-message.aspx>
/CONTACT---TEL:0034 650-662-292.
Foreign Services Manager, Payment and Release order Department,
FREE LOTTO. S.A. SPAIN .
*********************************************************************
for processing and remittance of your prize funds into your designated
bank account. Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later than
21st Febeuary, 2006. After this date all funds will be returned to the
MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed for the next sweepstake on the 22nd March 2006.
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please endeavor
to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence with
us or your claims agent. Furthermore, should there be any change in
your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thanks for
being part of our promotions program.

MRS.MAR LINA ARANGO.
(AWARD. CO-ORDINATOR)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam