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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.

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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money orders " (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)
  • "money order " (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)
  • "cashiers check" (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 company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +447023054610 (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.
  • stevenchang20@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • stevenchang20@cashette.com

Fraud email example:

From: "STEVEN CHANG" <steven_chang10@msn.com>
Reply-To: stevenchang20@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 11:12:22 +0000
Subject: PART TIME JOB OFFER

Hello To you this lovely moment. I hope this email meets you in good faith. To introduce myself, My name is Steven Chang and I am an artist. I live in the United Kingdom with my two kids, four cats, one dog and the love of my life. It is definitely a full house. I have been doing artwork since I was a small child. That gives me about 23 years of experience. I majored in art in high school and took a few college art courses. Most of my work is done in either pencil or airbrush mixed with color pencils. I have recently added designing and creating artwork on the computer. I have been selling my art for the last 3 years and have had my work featured on trading cards, prints and in magazines. I have sold in galleries and to private collectors from all around the world.

I am always facing serious difficulties when it comes to selling my art works to Americans and Canadians whom I really love as a great people they are. They are always offering to pay with a  POSTAL MONEY ORDER or CASHIERS CHECKS or WIRE TRANSFER , which is difficult for me to cash/ clear here in The United Kingdom.

I am looking for a representative in the states who will be working for me as a partime worker and I will be willing to pay 10% for every transaction, which wouldn’t affect your present state of work, someone who would help me receive payments from my customers in the states. I mean someone that is responsible and reliable, because the cost of coming to The United States and Canada and getting payments is very expensive, I am working on setting up a branch in The United States and Canada, and so for now I need a representative in The United States and Canada who will be handling the payment aspect. I will also like to know that you wont be needing to put any money of yours in this and it will not be affecting your present state of work or your schedule.
These payments are in money order and they would be written out to you in your name and sent to you via courier, so all you need do is cash the money orders and checks, then deduct your percentage and wire the rest back.
But the problem I have is trust, but I have my way of getting anyone that gets away with our money, I mean the FBI branch in Washington gets involved.
It wouldn’t cost you any amount and you are to receive payments which will be sent to u by FedEx or USPS or UPS from my business partners or customers as you may prefer to call them, which would come in form of money orders and checks then you are to cash it and send the cash to me via Western Union Money Transfer or MONEYGRAM after deducting your own commision. All sending charges will be deducted from the money.  If you are interested, please get back to me as soon as possible via my direct email address below.

Regards
Steven Chang, GM
PORTFOLIO ARTWORKS INC
60 Plumstead High Street. London SE181SL
stevenchang20@netscape.net
stevenchang20@cashette.com
+447023054610
www.portfolioartworks.com

 

 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam