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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:
  • "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 company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.

Fraud email example:

From: "Amanda Jane Kieu" <amanda.kieu@shengum-international.net>
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:35:43 +0000
Subject: P/T Job Vacancy.


SHENGUM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Koon Fook Center
Office 5
9 Knutsford Terrace Tst, 3rd Floor
Hong Kong
Registration number: 3699677
VAT registration number: 832 6732

My name is Amanda Jane Kieu, a representative from SHENGUM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED with our head quarter in Hong Kong.

We recently expanded our sales to the United Kingdom/Europe because of the great innovation the company have gained across the world in the marketing of all sort of Clothing materials, Jewelleries & Electronic appliances. We are faced with serious difficulties when it comes to selling our products to Europe, in terms of payment as majority of our customers offer to make payment with bank cheque, which is very difficult for us to cash here in Hong Kong.

So we are presently working on setting up a branch in the United Kingdom/Europe for now and we are urgently in need of a representative in the United kingdom who will be working for us as a part time staff, someone who will be working from home without affecting his/her present job if they have any at hand now and we will be willing to pay 10% for every transaction.

We are looking for an individual in the United Kingdom/Europe who will be working for us and we are willing to pay 10% for each & every transaction, which wouldn’t affect your present state of work, someone who will receive cheque payments on our behalf, from our customers in UK/Europe. These payments are in form of a bank cheque and it will be made payable to your name, so all you need do is cash the cheque, deduct your percentage and wire the rest of the funds back to us through money transfer services. I would like to clarify to you that you will not be investing any of your personal funds in this venture; you are to receive payments which will be sent by our customers to you via express mail.

If you can assist us with this transaction, I would like you to get back to me.

Awaiting your response and thanks.

Sincerely,
Amanda Jane Kieu

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam