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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "amanda mclaughlin" <sumrall2@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 09:43:09 -0500
Subject: Another Postal Scam

To whom it may concern

Attached is a copy of a letter i received in the mail yesterday, Jan 26/06. It was sent in a plain envelope with a stamp from Spain and post marked Madrid. The letter head is titled "Euro Legalmatters Chambers

From: The Legal Department

Euromilliones Promotions/Prize Award Depart                          19th January, 2006

REF NO: AV/0804516021/M/05

BATCH NO: 10076044/465

ATTENTION:  SHELBY I SUMRALL

                                     RE:AUTHORIZATION FOR YOUR NEXT OF KIN TO

                                    CLAIM YOUR WINNING AWARD OF (US$999,910C)

We act on the behalf of EUROMILLIONES LOTTERY S.A, whome we shall henceforth fefer to as our client on whom instruction and behalf we write you as follow.

Our client informs us that you were the lucky winner of the INTERNATIONAL EUROMILLIONS LOTTO SPANISH SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM held on the 16th of November, 2005, organized by our marketing department to promote and encourage international participation in our begin year (2006) high stake lottery.

Your name attached to a ticket number 025-11464992-750 with serial number 2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 12-18-24-36-43-46 which consequently won the 2nd catagory.  All participants were selected thorugh a Computer Ballots System drawn from 45,000,000 Names over the world, as a part of our International Program which we conduct and televised LIVE on the CNN TELEVISION once every year.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of US$999,910.00C(NINE HUNDRED AND NINTY-NINE THOUSHAN, NINE HUNDRED AND TEN US DOLLARS) inCHEQUE, credited to file REF NO: AV/0804516021/M/05. And your funds were deposited with sANTA LUCIA SEGUROS S.A in SPAIN.

Our further brief, is that in spite of our repeated letter and mail to your address to file for claims of this award, you refused/neglected. Only to be informed by MRS SUSAN PATRICK with a letter of AUTHORIZATION for claims of your rewards as your NEXT OF KIN, also with the ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE, we mail to your home address. Filing with another address as a means of communication/enquiry with you, coupled with purported information (THAT YOU ARE ON SICK BED IN HOSPITAL).

Where for our client (EUROMILLIONES S.A) hereby employed us (ATTOURNEY) to stand as witness and liaise with you, if actually you AUTHORIZED (any of your NEXT OF KIN) to collect your awards on your behalf.

While wishing you quick recovery and good HEALTH, we are deeply doubtful of the information of your next of kin and are constrained to instruct you to acknowledge this MAIL/FAX within FIFTEEN (15) CLEAR DAYS as agreement and recognation before remitting this funds into your next of kin designated Account. ALTERNATIVELY, you can contact Barrister JOSE BEKS, TEL/FAX: + 34-692-285-664, OR Fax and write a STOP ORDER, including your name, current address and TEL/FAX immediately to our BANK in Madrid Spain. BANCO CENTRAL HISPANO, SPAIN. FAX: +34-653-356-822.

These recorse is a part of our security protocol to avoid double claims and forthwith advise you to keep this information CONFIDENTIAL until we finalize our investigation.

This is in anticipation of your kind and possitive attention. A stitch in time save nine.

Yours sincerely,

BARRAISTER JOSE BEKS

Cc: Don lucas, operational manager

EUROMILLIONES SA

Cc: Maria Pacos Foreign Manager

SANTANLUCIA SEGUROS SA

Cc: REMITTENCE DEPT

Banco Central Hispano, Madrid Spain

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This letter is bound to get a few people and i felt the need to share it when i found out all about it. My husband, whom it it address to (using him middle name first) was ready to send a fax and call them on their bluff but i decided to check the internet and see if there was anything on this matter, i am glad there was and am glad to share this with you for future information.

Sincerely Amanda McLaughlin

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam