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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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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:

• 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:
  • "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)
• 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.
  • perrybrown@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "lotterypromotions" <lotterypromotions@terra.com.mx>
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 12:39:50 -0600
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS ! ! !


From:Luckyday Lottery promotions
Ref. Number: 132/756/4534
Batch number: 638901527-AMB/02
CONGRATULATIONS ! ! !
We are pleased to inform you of the lottery result winners
International programmes held on 10 JUNE 2006.
Your e-mail address was attached to ticket number 278511465896-6452
with your serial number 3772-554 drew you a lucky number 3-14-18-23-31-
45 which consequently won in the first category, you are therefore been
approved for lump sum pay out of Three million United states Dollars
CONGRATULATIONS ! ! !
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, you are advised to keep your
winning information confidential until your claims has been processed
and your money remitted to your nominated bank. This is part of our
security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this
programme by some participants. All participants were selected through
an e-mail balloting. This promotional programme takes place every three
years.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiducially agent:

MR.PERRY BROWN.
E-mail address:perrybrown@myway.com

Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 20th July 2006.
Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
remember to quote your reference number and batch number in all
correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do
inform our agent as soon as possible.
Once again congratulations .
Best regards,
DR. JERRY LEE.
Lottery coordinator.
LONDON,UK.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam