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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:

• 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.
  • +447031905582 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: mrs colen johnson <mrs_colen@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 11:49:19 +0100 (BST)
Subject: URGENT VOGSTIEN


HELLO VOGSTIEN,

HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR FAMILY HOPE FINE ,PLEASE DONT WORRY ABOUT YOUR WINNING INFORMATIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE IT WITH US AND THE BANK ALSO HAVE IT AS WELL ALL YOU HAVE TO DO NOW IS TO CONTACT THE BANK WITH YOUR FULL INFORMATIONS SUCH AS

1) FULL NAMES

2) HOME ADDRESS

3) OCCUPATION

4) AGE

5) NATIONALITY

6) TEL/FAX NUMBER

7) NEXT OF KINS


YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT THE BANKER, DIRECTOR FOREX FOREIGN OPERATION AND INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE OF MERRILL LYNCH BANK LONDON WHO IS IN CHARGE OF YOUR TRANSFER AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL SO THAT THE BANKER WILL GIVE YOU THE PROCEDURE ON HOW YOU WILL OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH THEM TO ENABLE THEM TRANSFER YOUR US$1,000, 000.00 THROUGH YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THEIR BANK TO YOUR ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS OF THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF YOUR TRANSFER MR. PHILLIP MAAD; Tel +44 703 190 5582, Fax + 44 870 479 5434,
Email: admin@mlbankuk.com, forex_department@mlbankuk.com

Sincerely yours

BARR COLEN JOHNSON

N/B. YOU ARE ADVICED TO CALL MR. PHILLIP MAAD IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL BECAUSE IN ACCORDANCE TO OUR AGREEMENT WITH OUR PAYING BANK IS THAT YOU MUST OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH THEM BEFORE THEY CAN MAKE TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY. AND I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR FUND IS INSURED AND IS UNDER CATEGORY E INSURANCE COVERAGE




Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam