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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "transfer of your funds" (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)
  • "@lawyer.com" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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.
  • +27741066276 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
  • +27839296887 (South Africa, 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.
  • orionassociates@pnetmail.co.za
  • orionassoc@lawyer.com

Fraud email example:

From: TRUST TUSK <tusktrustltd@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2007 14:54:20 +0800 (CST)
Subject: HOW YOU WERE SELECTED AS A LUCKY WINNER


Attn:Ms.Ethelinda Maurler,

This is to inform you your email address qualified for SAFA 2010 Lottery draw as a result of you visiting various websites and your email address was selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 e-mail addresses world wide which include email addresses of individuals and companies from Africa,America,Asia,Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East,and New Zealand.

You e-mail address which was attached with REFERENCE NUMBER: NA/SAFA 2010/WORLD 2007-12, BATCH NUMBER: NA/CAF-2007-02I-345 with serial number 000-15 drew The lucky numbers 25-1-99-7-34-00 and consequently won in the First quarter of the 2007 year draw.

You are expected to be here on or before 18th July,2007. You are to come along with a print out copy of the letter of notification/verification as well as an identification document e.g. drivers license or national i.d.as well as One Thousand Five Hundred Dollas ($1,500.00)which you will have to pay at the Inland revenue office as Non-Resident Tax and this is payable in cash across the counter so you have to include this in your travel budget.

In the advent of you not being able to come and claim your prize personally,then you should contact our company accredited Representative immediately through the contact details below to represent
you in the endorsement of your prize release/remittance documents.

REPRESENTATIVE CONTACT DETAILS:
ORION & ASSOCIATES
Tel.: +27-839-296-887.
Fax: +27-115-076-020.
Email: orionassociates@pnetmail.co.za
orionassoc@lawyer.com

You have an option of request for Bank wire transfer of your funds or delivery via courier express service.

Always at your service,

MR.SOLISO OGAMBA.
BROKERAGE MANAGER
TUSK TRUST LIMITED
SANDTON,SOUTH AFRICA
TEL:+27-741-066-276


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam