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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:
  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.

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",500,000" (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.
  • +447031898644 (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.
  • willem_james@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: cocacola promotions. <co_8_p@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:42:13 +0200
Subject: FINAL NOTICE OF AWARD NOTIFICATION




FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT DEAR SIR/MADAM,

FINAL NOTICE OF AWARD NOTIFICATION.We are pleased to inform you of the announcementtoday, 28TH AUGUST, 2007 of winners of the LOTTERY INTERCEPTLOTTO U.K/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, held on 3rd APRIL, 2007 as part of our
promotional draws.

Participants were selected through a computer ballotsystem drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses ofindividuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia,Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and NewZealand as part of our electronic business PromotionsProgram. You qualified for the draw as a result of youvisiting Various websites we are running the e-businesspromotions for.
You/Your Company, attached to ticket number100-309-7482, with serial number 513-10 drew the luckynumbers 5, 9, 12, 29, 40, 59, 76, and consequently wonin the Second Category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of US$950,000.00 in cash, which is the winningpayout for Second category winners. This is from thetotal prize money of US$13,650,000.00 shared among theSeven international winners in the Second category.CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now deposited with the interface Financeand Security Company insured in your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.
we hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our mid year (2008) high stakes US$1.3 billion International Lottery.To begin your claim, please contact your claim agentimmediately;MR WILLEM JAMESCLAIM AGENT,INTERFACE FINANCE & SECURITY LTD,NEWCASTLE, U.KTEL: +44-703-1898-644EMAIL willem_james@hotmail.com For due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice.

Remember, you must contact your claim agent not later than 30th January 2008. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers provided below in every one of yourcorrespondences with your claims agent.
REFERENCE NUMBER: FLS-ZR39-825P-4BATCH NUMBER: 74-263-BBNCongratulations once again from all our staff andthank you for being part of our promotions program.Sincerely,THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,LOTTERY INTERCEPT UNITED KINGDOM.115 NORDIX AVE. BRYANSTON, 762NEWCASTLE, L60 1NLUNITED KINGDOM

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam