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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.

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:
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • +447024067991 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • royalcourier_uk212@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Ben Falls <ben.falls@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:57:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: YOU HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY CLEARED FOR PAYMENT (CONTACT COURIER)



The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
Fax: 44 (0)871 661 8831

ATTN: Lucky Winner,

We wish to inform you that you have been officially cleared for payment of your winnings by the Claims Department. Your package with identication number UK/RC/07/00240 has been dispatched to our affiliate courier company for onward delivery to you.

Your package contains:
i) Your Winning Cheque
ii) Your winning certificate
iii) Your insurance certificate

You are therefore advised to contact the courier company via the details below with your winning information as contained in the claims/ processing verification form:

Mr Kenneth Oshio
Royal Courier Services
Manchester United Kingdom
Email: royalcourier_uk212@yahoo.co.uk
Tel Number: +447024067991.

Please Note that the lottery board will not be responsible for the Courier charges and because of the hard cover insurance policy covering your funds, moneies cannot be taken from the winnings except by you.

For the avoidance of double claims and impersonation, you are advised to keep your winnings confidential until you have recieved your winning prize.

Once again congratulations.

Mr Ben Falls
+447045706671



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam