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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)
  • "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
• 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: "lotto office" <lottodrawoffice23@fastwebmail.it>
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 09:55:40 +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 announcement
today, 28TH AUGUST, 2007, of winners of the LOTTERY INTERCEPT
LOTTO U.K/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, held on 3rd APRIL, 2007 as part of our
promotional draws.
Participants were selected through a computer ballot
system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of
individuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia,
Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and New
Zealand as part of our electronic business Promotions
Program. You qualified for the draw as a result of you
visiting Various websites we are running the e-business
promotions for.
*
*You/Your Company, attached to ticket number
100-309-7482, with serial number 513-10 drew the lucky
numbers 5, 9, 12, 29, 40, 59, 76, and consequently won
in the Second Category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay
out of US$950,000.00 in cash, which is the winning
payout for Second category winners. This is from the
total prize money of US$13,650,000.00 shared among the
Seven international winners in the Second category.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now deposited with the interface Finance
and 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
claimin g 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 agent
immediately;*
*MR WILLEM JAMES
CLAIM AGENT,
INTERFACE FINANCE & SECURITY LTD,
NEWCASTLE, U.K
TEL: +44-703-1898- 644
EMAIL**: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 july** 2008. After this date, all funds
will be returned as unclaimed.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays andcomplications, please remember
to quote your reference
and batch numbers provided below in every one of your
correspondences with your claims agent.*
**
*REFERENCE NUMBER: FLS-ZR39-825P-4
BATCH NUMBER: 74-263-BBN
Congratulations once again from all our staff and
thank you for being part of our promotions program.
Sincerely,
*
*THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
LOTTERY INTERCEPT UNITED KINGDOM.
115 NORDIX AVE. BRYANSTON, 762
NEWCASTLE, L60 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM*
*N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the
winners will result to disqualification. Please do not
reply to this mail box. Contact your claims agent through his email contact
above.*
*EMAIL:willem_james@hot mail.com*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam