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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:

• 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:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims 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.
  • +447011138893 (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.
  • rudolfhunt@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Lottery Office" <lotterydesk@btconnect.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 13:05:18 +0100
Subject: AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL NOTICE

FROM: THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRICE AWARD DEPARTMENT.

                AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL NOTICE
British National Lottery wishes to inform you the results of the E-mail
address ballot lottery international program (sponsored by Microsoft in
Great Britain for email account users)

Your email account has been picked as a winner of £1,500,000.00

This results is now released, your email address attached to Draw 1034 
5th of August, 07 Jackpot 04-09-10-19-24-37 Bonus ball 28; participants were
selected through a computer ballot system drawn from Microsoft users
from company and individual email addresses users.

Be advised to keep your winning information confidential until your
claims have been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part
of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse
of this program.

You are advised to contact the claims agent listed below,

Mr. Rudolf Hunt
Programs & Events Department
mrrudolfhunt@hotmail.com

+44 70111 38893


Congratulations from the members of staff and thank you for being part
of email account users program.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Richard Lloyd

THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE. DO NOT REPLY,CONTACT THE ABOVE LISTED AGENT.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam