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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million british pounds" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
• 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.
  • +27728808085 (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.
  • executivemail.co.zah_princewill@safe-mail.net

Fraud email example:

From: Lucky Winners <players0005@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:54:50 +0200
Subject: Congratulations You are a Winner!



WORLD INTERNET LOTTERY.INTERNATIONAL INTERNET LOTTERY UNITED KINGDOM
IN CONJUCTION WITH SOUTH AFRICAN.PRIZE PROMOTION AWARD. DEPTREF: NO EG/033-20737-750/17/09/05BATCH: 340/1608/RDL.
We the entire boards of the above firm are pleased to inform you of the result of the World Internet Lottery Winners programs held on the 10 September 2007, which your Screen Name and E-mail Address consequently won in the CATEGORY C with attached Ticket Number 033-20737-750, Serial Number 033-05 and Batch Number 340/1608/RDL which draw this Lucky Numbers: 9, 21, 23, 31, 40, 46 and Bonus Number 8 You have therefore been approved for a payout sum of BP650, 000.00 (SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS STERLINGS) only. This is from the total cash prize of S$45,000,000.00 (FOURTY FIVE MILLION BRITISH POUNDS STERLINGS) shared among Five Hundred and Nine Thousand (509,000) International winners in this category.All participants in this category were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 35,000 companies and 155,000 individual Screen Names and Email Addresses from around the world. This promotional program takes place every two (2) year and is promoted and sponsored by the World Association of Software Producers.
To file for your claim, please contact our CATEGORY C payment agent below:=======================================================================Mr. Princewill Hans.Foreign Operation ManagerPrestige Agency. South Africa .Phone: + 27 72 880 8085.Email: prestigeagency@executivemail.co.zah_princewill@Safe-mail.net=======================================================================
WARNING: Please because of high internet scams moving on this time around, we ask that you keep all your winning information confidential until your claims has been finally processed and your money Remitted to you, so that scammers could not be able to have access to your winning price. This is part of our security protocol to avoid Claim/Payment to unwarranted person as well as to protect the abuse of this program by scammers. Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than Three (3) weeks. After this date all unclaimed funds will be forfeited and be added to the next stake coming up in two years time. To avoid any delay on your payment please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Note: Your are automatically disqualified if you are under the age of 18, so do not file for any claim. We also hope that with part of your winning, you will help the less privileged and charity homes around you.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff!

FOR ANY QUERIES ABOUT THIS PROGRAM KINDLY CONTACT THE HEAD OFFICE:PRIZE PROMOTION AWARD DEPT, UK.LONDON @ +44 703 19O 5359Contact persons: Mr. S. Rawlings or Mrs. Grace Mighty Yours Sincerely,PRIZE PROMOTION AWARD DEPARTMENT. PPAD.ORG.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam