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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "clear source of funds certificate" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "certificates of origin of funds" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "affidavit " (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.
  • +447045719074 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: MR KENNETH COLE <claimoffice0008@yahoo.ie>
Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2007 22:22:21 +0100 (BST)
Subject: MODE OF CLAIMS: Tibelda Becken


The Irish Lottery
P O Box 1010
11 G Lower Dorset Street,
Dublin 1, Ireland
(Customer Services)

Ref: IRSH/5670Z6/94
Batch: 095/85/SH979


IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:CPEL/OWN/9876.

Dear Tibelda Becken

I am informing you that you have been officially cleared for payment by our clearance committee Department.


The original copy of the certificate, together with a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the Irish government stating that the money was obtained legally through their award winning lottery will be given to you as soon as you have signed all the necessary document for the fund release.

1. WINNING CERTIFICATE FROM THE LOTTERY PROMOTIONS.
2. WINNERS CERTIFIED CHEQUE.
3. CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES (C.S.F.C.);
4. CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN OF FUNDS(C.O.F.).

NOTE; The total amount you won has been insured to the real value and any amount cannot be deducted from it until it has been received by only you that is the beneficiary. This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the national gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3RD July 1996 by the constitutional assembly.


Mode of Collection.

(A) Collection In Person: (Recommended)

You are scheduled to be at the INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT OFFICE IS IN DUBLIN,IRELAND for the processing and claiming exercise on or before 17TH AUGUST, 2007. You are advised to come with the following:-


1. International passport for identification and signature verification
2. 2 passport photographs
3. Your first email letter of notification

This option is recommended by the lotto management to clear doubts and unnecessary thinking.This is because we have had series of complaints from individuals that people are using our company name for various forms of indecent acts. So the lotto management would prefer beneficiary winners to come and verify things for themselves about their winnings.

NOTE: YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PAY ANY MONEY BEFORE YOU CLAIM YOUR WINNINGS AS FAR AS YOU ARE COMMING DOWN TO THE OFFSHORE PAYMENT OFFICE.


Regards,

MR KENNETH COLE

Tel: +44 704 571 9074
+44 704 571 9075
FIDUCIARY AGENT





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam