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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
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• 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:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "insurance fee " (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. )
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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!
• 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.
  • +447011137562 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: TNT COURIER SERVICE <tntcustomercaredeliverycenter@online-courier-service.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2007 14:30:37 +0000
Subject: TNT OFFICIAL CUSTOMERS CLAIMS OPTION.








TNT LIVERPOOL DEPORT10 Hale Road,SpekeLiverpool, L24 1WG.UNITED KINGDOM.VAT NUMBER:GB 222421710TRADE REF NUMBER: 1933173 TEL: +44 701 1137 562.

ATTENTION: Ms Odette Freud,

Welcome to TNT COURIER SERVICE, A Dispatch Company to the Uk National Online Gaming. We have been the sole distributors of winning package to the below service.Your parcel have to be pick-up.Time is money! It's as important to us as it is to you. From a parcel to a pallet, by bike or van, we have an office close to you to provide an instant response. Whether it's a regular delivery or an unforeseen emergency, we appreciate that prompt collection, safe handling and on-time delivery are critical. Same-day Dispatch Services have the resources available to cope smoothly and efficiently whatever the demand.Before we can commerce with the delivery of the winnings package. You are requested without delay To Pick the type of service you want us to used in shipping your parcel. PACKAGING INFORMATION: Option:1TNT EXPRESS PLUS SERVICE;Service:.....................:TNT Express Plus (NEXT DAY AIR EARLY A.M SERVICE)Package Type:................:TNT Express Pak Number of Packages:..........:1 Shipment Declared Value:.....:00.00 GBP TNT Delivery Charge:.........:120 GBP Actual Weight:...............:15.Lb Billable Weight:.............:0.05 kg(Dimensional Weight) Description of Goods: Official Winning Package Option:2TNT EXPRESS SERVICE;Service:.....................:TNT Express(48 HOUR SERVICE)Package Type:................:TNT Express Pak Number of Packages:..........:1 Shipment Declared Value:.....:00.00 GBP TNT Delivery Charge:.........:80 GBP Actual Weight:...............:15.Lb Billable Weight:.............:0.05 kg(Dimensional Weight) Description of Goods: Official Winning Package Option:3TNT STANDARD SERVICE;Service:.....................:TNT Standard(3 WORKING DAY SERVICE)Package Type:................:TNT Express Pak Number of Packages:..........:1 Shipment Declared Value:.....:00.00 GBP TNT Delivery Charge:.........:50 GBP Actual Weight:...............:15.Lb Billable Weight:.............:0.05 kg(Dimensional Weight) Description of Goods: Official Winning Package.

"PLUS INSURANCE: 300GBP"(KINDLY BE INFORMED THAT THE DOCUMENTS AND CHEQUE CANNOT BE SENT TO YOU WITHOUT BEEN INSURED AS IT WILL VIOLATE THE FEDERAL ACT OF PARLIAMENT GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL CHEQUE CLEARING) SO THE INSURANCE FEE IS TO BE PAYED IN ADDITION TO THE COST OF ANY OF YOUR COURIER OPTION ABOVE. ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THE COURIER COMPANY DO NOT INSURE DELIVERY, AND AS A RESULT DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE INSURANCE, SO ANY COURIER OPTION YOU CHOOSE,AS YOUR SHIPPING OPTION, DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE INSURANCE, THE INSURANCE IS TO BE DONE HERE IN THE UK NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. ALL THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH THE TNT COURIER COMPANY.
This company declined reverse payment for these charges, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the cheque to you. That if a reverse payment is made, and something goes wrong, that we/you cannot sue the courier company or insurance company to recover the full value of the fund as stipulated in the cheque since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing. With the abovereason, reverse payment is ruled out. This means that you are liable to the insurance and delivery fee.
Note: that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you. Failure to produce the requested insurance and courier delivery fee or cost of COT (commission of transfer) will mean cancellation of your winnings, as the headquarters of the UK national lottery did not provide extra funds.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. This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds.
Option 4:The said amount claim £500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterlings) will be wired to your bank account via Our affilliate bank.Condition: The cost of COT (commission of transfer) being charged by our transferring bank, which is (i.e £1,200) of the cash being transferred will be paid by you before we commence on the transfer of your money to your account.
Note that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy by GEOTRUST INSURANCE COMPANY, which makes it impossible for us to deduct any amount from your winnings before it is Remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you.

You are advice to effect payment before your winnings can be
couriered to you successfully.*************************************************************************

Good luck and Congratulations once again.

Best Wishes,

Mr. Kelvin Joles.Tell:(+44)701 1137 562
TNT COURIER SERVICE(Dispatch Officer)TNT Liverpool Deport10 Hale Road,SpekeLiverpool, L24 1WG.UNITED KINGDOM.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam