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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "transfer of your funds" (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)
• 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.
  • +447035902646 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447017026183 (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.
  • abnamrouk@financier.com

Fraud email example:

From: Laura Curtis <agent10010lauracurtis@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:11:05 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CLAIM


The National Lottery
P O Box 1010 Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369


Dear Mr/Mrs/miss.......Freda
,

It may interest you to learn that your funds have been successfully lodged in the Deutche Bundesbank of Germany for onward transfer to your account. Meanwhile, ABN Amro Bank in United Kingdom has been mandated to facilitate the transfer of the funds to you.

At this point, I must not fail to congratulation because of the traumatic experience you have gone through over the year in an attempt to claim this funds. Most importantly, the funds will get to your account this week. I have forwarded your information to ABN Amro Bank as directed by the officials of the Deutche Bundesbank. Please contact the bank below and advice them to effect the transfer of your funds.

Foreign Transfer Department
Contact person: Rev. Dr. Andrew Walker Jnr.
ABN Amro Bank
Thurso , United Kingdom .
Tel: +4470 - 3590 - 2646 Direct line
Tel: +447017026181
Fax: +44 7017026183
Email: abnamrouk@financier.com

Note that it important that you get back and update me with your dealings with the bank for possible advice where necessary.


You are to keep us fully informed on all developments.

Best Regards
LAURA CURTIS
Fiduciary Agent,





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam