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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
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million 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)
  • "cashier's check" (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 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!

Fraud email example:

From: Dean Zitko <info@info.com>
Reply-To: sarahjonathan2008@verizon.net
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:11:06 -0700
Subject: You Just Won $2.5 million usd

MALAYSIA NATIONAL LOTTERY BOARD

WINNING NOTIFICATION
The management of Malaysia Lottery Sweepstakes is glad to announce to the
world that Malaysia Government is giving away the sum of 12.5million dollars for 5 lucky email addresses all over the world.for their 51 year independence aniversary

Please be informed that all winners in this program have been selected randomly through a computer ballot system drawn from over 500,000 companies and individual e-mail addresses database. Your email address happened to be one of the lucky winner of TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2.5 MILLION)


Fill the form below and send it back to us for verification and then
you will be inform on how your Cashier's Check for $2.5 MILLION USD will be delivered to you.
PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM

1.FULL NAMES:_________
2.ADDRESS:_______________
3.SEX:_______________
4.AGE:________
5.MARITAL STATUS:___________________
6.OCCUPATION:________________________
7.E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
8.TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________
9.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL___________
10.AMOUNT WON:___________________________________
12. COUNTRY________________________________


Contact, Mrs.Sarah for your claims with her email address below.

EMail:sarahjonathan2008@verizon.net

Best Regards
Online co-ordinator
Dean Zitko

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam