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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "20 craven park, harlesden" (address often used in fake lottery scams)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "you are required to pay " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "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. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +2348023380674 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Barr Bright Luke <claimsagent_microsoft700@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:57:15 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Claims Procedures



Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park, Harlesden
London NW10
United Kingdom
Ref: BTD/968/05
Batch: 409978E

Dear Winner

I had been directed to release your payment cheque to you as soon as possible, immediately I receive your email. Our Delivery officer would be delivering your cheque to you through DHL to your Respective city or locations in your Country.
We would need

• Your full name.
• Your age.
• Phone number.
• Occupation.
• Postal address.
• DHL Delivery Fee of $220 Dollars.

Send the delivery fees through Western Union Money Transfer, to my secretary Mr Shaka Momodu , ADDRESS: BARRISTER BRIGHT LUKE AND SONS’ CHAMBERS, ABUJA, NIGERIA.

And after payment you are to send this informations below
(1) Receiver Name:
(2) Sender Name :
(3) Sender Address:
(4) Test Question:
(5) Answer:
(6) Amount Sent:
(7) M T C N Number


This will enable the courier company(DHL) send you the winner certificate and the cheque.
I congratulate you as one of the Global Afro Asia sweepstakes lottery winners.
N.B: Your winner's Award certificate will be sent with your Cheque.
Without the winner's certificate presented at your local bank, you won't be able to claim the money and it might cause a lot of delay as this is a crossed cheque. You can receive the money in any country in the world. Please call me as soon as you receive this mail.

Thanks for your cooperation. Note, it is not possible for me to deduct the DHL fee from your winning cheque because it has been issued and sent to me by the general overseer Mrs Kate Watters in conjunction with the A.B.N AMRO Bank financial. In this case , you are required to pay this fee to get your winning cheque within five working days.

Please note that under no circumstance must you reveal your winning ticket number to any one for this organization shall not in anyway be held responsible for double claiming. You have to keep your winning information secret. You once again congratulation and I await your swift response.

Thanks,
Barr Bright Luke
Phone , +234802 338 0674


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam