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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +447005931129 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: tom wesley <tom_wesley5@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 08:35:43 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: FILL OUT THE VERIFICATION FORM.




UK National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch:074/05/ZY369




ATTENTION: GUNILLA GERSTENLA


How are you doing today?

I like to inform you that before you can be able to file in for your winnings you are required to fill out the verification form below.





VERIFICATION FORM

NAME:..................................
ADDRESS:...............................
BATCH/WINNING NUMNBER:............................................
REF NUMBER:.............................
OCCUPATION:.........................................
ANNUAL INCOME:..........................................
AGE;.....................................
SEX...............................
TEL:...........................................
FAX..........................................................
COUNTRY.................................


I await your urgent response along with the filled out verification form.

MR TOM WESLEY ( FIDUCIARY AGENT )

Fax: +44 700 593 1129
Tel: +44 701 112 1015
+44 701 112 9260
+44 703 197 3119
+44 703 197 2147





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

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam