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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)
  • "a security company " (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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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)
  • "million us dollars" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• 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.
  • +447045787198 (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.
  • ukagent_eurolotto1@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Euro Million Loteria Espanol S. A. Notification Department" <euro1@mailbox.hu>
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 20:00:12 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU HAVE WON $1,000.000 US DOLLARS.


EURO MILLION LOTERIA ESPAÑOL S.A.
PLAZA CASTELLANA 13, 29001 MADRID,
SPAIN.

FROM: THE DESK OF MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT

1ST JUNE 2008

ATT: REF. ELE/252819/Y08
BATCH NO.017914/C003

(DEAR WINNER)

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE.
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the
EUROMILLON INTERNATIONAL SPANISH SWEEPSTAKES
LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAMME,
held on the 1ST JUNE 2008. Your Email attached to the ticket
number 027-521381.810 with serial number 4016-13 drew the
lucky numbers 9-14-21-23-39-41 which consequently
won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay
US$1,000 000 (ONE MILLION US DOLLARS) in cash credited
to file REF NO.ELE/252819/Y08.

This is from a total cash prize of US$ 17,000 000
(SEVENTEEN MILLION US DOLLARS) Shared among the
seventeen international winners in the category 1&amp;3.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!.

Your fund is now deposited with a security company
insured to your name. Due to mixed up of some numbers
and names, we ask that you keep this award top secret
from public notice until your claim has been processed
and your money remitted to your account as this is part
of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or
unwarranted taking of advantage of this program by
participants.

All participants were selected through computer ballot
system drawn from 50,000 names and email addresses from
Europe, South Pacific, Asia, Middle East and North America
as a part of our international promotion program which we
conduct once every year. We hope with a part of your prize,
you will take part in our end of year high stake US$1.5
billion international Lottery.

To begin your claims, please contact your United Kingdom
claims agent, Rev. Lord Mark the Foreign Service manager
of LASTBRIGDE SECURITY COMPANY S.L. on

PHONE +447045787198
+447045793611

EMAIL: ukagent_eurolotto1@yahoo.co.uk

For processing and remittance of your prize money to a
designated account of your choice. Remember all prize
money must be claimed not later than 30TH JUNE, 2008.
After this date, all funds will be returned to the Ministerio
de Economia y Hacienda as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
please remember to quote your reference and batch number in
every correspondence with us or your agent. Furthermore should
there be any change of address do inform your claims agent as
soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank
you for being a part of our promotion program.

Yours sincerely,
THOMAS GARCIA
(VICE PRESIDENT)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam