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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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.
  • +31653868030 (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.
  • fcc@dr.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • infofcc@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: caritas@caritas.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:13:54 +0100 (CET)
Subject: PRIZE AWARD WINNING


Caritas International Lottery
Nieuwezijds Voorbugwal 50
Amsterdam 1012 SC - Netherlands
LOTTERY PRIZE AWARD DEPT
FROM: THE DESK OF VICE PRESIDENT.
REFERENCE Nº:CILNL/87456109/06.
BATCH Nº: NL13059.


RE: WINNING NOTIFICATION.
We are pleased to inform you of the release today, the results of the Caritas International Lottery SWEEPSTAKE PROMOTIONS PROGRAMS held on the 1st day of November, 2006.
Your name attached to the ticket number 016-10576338-950 with serial number 3991-62 drew the lucky numbers 43709-22-14-00-22 which consequently won the lottery in the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay $805,140.00 (EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND, ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY US DOLLARS) in cash credited to file REF. NO: CIL/87456109/06 .This is from a total cash prize of $10,468,770.00 (TEN MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY DOLLARS) Shared among the seventeen international winners in the category I & 4. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Your fund is now insured by FACIL CREDIT COMMISSION BV. to your name. Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award top secret from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of advantage of this program by participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Europe, Asia, Middle East and North America as a part of our international promotion program which we conduct once every year. We hope with a part of your prize, you will take part in our end of year high stake US$1.3 billion international Lottery.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent, OLISE BECK the Foreign Service Manager of FACIL CREDIT COMMISSION BV., THE HAGUE-NETHERLAND on Tel:+31-653 868 030 email: fcc@dr.com or infofcc@myway.com for the processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than two weeks from the date of receipt of this letter. After this date, all funds will be returned to the Ministerie van Economia en Bezit as unclaimed.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please endeavour to quote your reference and batch number in every of your correspondence with us or your agent.
Congratulations once again from staffs and management and thank you for being a part of our promotion program.
Yours sincerely,
DENNIS MERSCH
VICE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam