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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.

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.
• 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!
• 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.
• 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.
  • ecpvc@box.az (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Akim Jones <akimjones2000@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 22:36:29 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Reply Urgently....


Dear Winner,

We have been expecting your response in claiming your funds. However, we wish to informed you that your winning sum of US$1.3Million has been processed to be released to you immediately you secure Fund Ownership Certificate. Note that all winners are required to secure a Fund Ownership Certificate from the Ofiice of the International Monitery Fund in London, UK before their funds can be released to them.

The said Certificate covers you from any stop order from the UN Anti-Terrorist Agency, IMF, FBI and other fund monitoring authorities worldwide. This policy started since after September 11-2001. The Certificate will only cost you US$120.00 One Hundred and Twenty United States Dollars only. And as soon as the Certificate is issued in your name, you will receive your funds with immediate effect.

So be advised to forward the fee via Western Union Money Transfer with the information bellow:

Name: Miss. Bit Honorat Srovi Akouwa
Address: London, UK.
Text Question: What purpose?
Text Answer: Certificate.

Send the fee now and forward the payment information attached with your bank details where your funds will be transferred to. Send the requested information to ecpvc@box.az and upon receipt of the fee the Certificate will be secured and the bank will contact you for immediate remittance of your US$1.3Million into your account.

Congratulations!!!

Best regards,

Mr. Akim Jones.

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

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam