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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!
  
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• 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:

• 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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447011146667 (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.
  • irnl_claimsoffice07@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: IRISH NATIONAL LOTTERY ONLINE PROMO PROG <irnl_claimsoffice07@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 07:00:02 -0400
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION//your email won

The National Lottery
EURO MILLIONS PROMO/PRIZE DEPARMENT
Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1, Ireland (Customer Services)
Ref: IR/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

Dear Winner,

    We are pleased to inform you of the final announcement of the
Irish National Lottery 2007 Online Prommotion Result held on the 21st day of
MARCH  2007.You have won this lottery as a result of random selection of
emails from our microsoft data base, this promotion takes place once in a
year.You have therefore, been approved to claim a total sum of
1,350,000 Euro.From the Irish Lottery Board.
For further information contact your fiduciary agent
DR. SEAN AMSTRONGE Of the claims Department for your
FUND RELEASE VERIFICATION FORM.
NOTE:Ensure to send awareness to lottery Claims Department with
the Official Email address stated; irnl_claimsoffice07@yahoo.co.uk

Dr Sean Amstronge
Claims Department
The IRNL Foundation
Email:irnl_claimsoffice07@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: +44 (70) 11146667
    

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam