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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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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "hundred thousand 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 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.
  • +31626556384 (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.
  • eurotrustaccredited@excite.com

Fraud email example:

From: Sandra El gordo <sandra@selgordo.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 11:59:56 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: FINAL NOTIFICATIONS


FINAL NOTIFICATIONS
INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY AWARD BOARD
EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA LOTTO.
REF N- FJ-546465-00153,BATCH N- 005684-9087.
ATTN.Dear Winner,
Final Winning Notifications.
This is to inform you on the release of the EL-GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA PROGRAM held on Monday18th September. Due to mix up of some numbers and names, the results were released on Friday 22nd September ,2006.
Your name attached to ticked number 031-1127-841 with serial number 3214-07 drew the lucky numbers of 21-22-37-39-41-49 which consequently won the lottery in the category "B" ,you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$500.000,00(Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only).Which has been insured in a Security Company credited to file with Ref. No - FJ-546465-00153.
This is from a total cash prize of [ Four Million, Two Hundred Thousand Euros(€4,200,000,00) shared among the fifteen (15) international winners in this Category. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from Fifty Thousand (50,000) names from Asia. Australia, New Zealand, Europe, America and North America as part of our international promotions program which we conduct once every year.And we hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the next years program.
To begin your lottery claim, please contact your claims international agent via- EURO TRUST ACCREDITED AGENT BV.
MR. JAN DUKE ROGAN, Foreign Operation Manager.
Tel: 0031-626-556-384
Email : eurotrustaccredited@excite.com
For the processing and remittance of your winning prize money to a designation Bank of your choice.
Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than Wednesday 1st NOV 2006, After this date all funds will be returned to the organizers of the lottery as unclaimed funds.
Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference number and batch number in all correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform your agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Sandra Vanderk
Online Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam