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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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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "vittorio foundation" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "anti-terrorism certificate" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "clear source of funds certificate" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "certificates of origin of funds" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "money transfer control number" (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. )
  • "you are required to pay " (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. )
  • "vat (5%)" (VAT rate in the UK is 17.5%, check the math)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: ecowas_payment counsellor <ecowas_payment_counsellor09@yahoo.it>
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 01:57:04 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: PAYMENT OPTION FOR YOUR DELIEVERY




ECONOMIC COMMUNITY FOR WEST AFRICAN STATES
Official Head Quaters,
Abuja. Nigeria

ATTN: BENEFICIARY Rosston Duerrstein,


I HAVE ALREADY BEEN INFORMED TO ANTICIPATE YOUR MESSAGE. AND I HAVE IMMEDIATELY PROCEED WITH ISSUING THE CASHEIR CHEQUE OF YOUR DONATION AND YOUR DONATION CERTIFICATE AND ALL OTHER NECCESARY DOCUMENTS.

A CERTIFIED CHEQUE HAS BEEN ISSUED IN YOUR NAME, AND THE ECOWAS HAS CONCLUDED THE PROCESSING OF ALL DOCUMENT THAT WILL FACILITATE THE CLEARANCE OF YOU CHEQUE IN YOUR BANK. THIS DOCUMENT WILL IMMEDIATELY BE SENT TO YOU VIA COURIER DELIVERY. THESE DOCUMENT INCLUDE.

1.DONATION CHEQUE VALUED THE SUM OF US$850,000.00.
2.DONATION CERTIFICATE FROM THE VITTORIO FOUNDATION, ITALY.
3.CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES(C.S.F.C.)
4.ANTI-TERRORISM CERTIFICATES(A.T.C)
5.CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN OF FUNDS(C.O.F.)
6.BENEFICIARY PAYMENT FORM(KINDLY NOTE THAT THIS IS THE FORM THAT STATES THE BENEFICIARIES NAME AND BANK NAME THAT WILL RECEIVE THE CHEQUE.)
7.LETTER OF AFFIDAVITS FROM THE NIGERIAN HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE, STATING THAT THE DONATION WAS RECEIVED LEGALLY FROM THE UNIVERSAL DONATION PROGRAMME, AND DUELY SIGNED BY THE LEGAL ATTORNEY TO THE ECOWAS.

THESE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SECURELY SEALED AND PACKETED DUE TO SECURITY REASON, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO VIEW IT UNTIL DELIVERED TO YOU.

TO BEGIN THE FINAL PROCESS OF CLAIMING YOUR DONATION, WHICH IS SHIPPING OF YOUR DONATION CHEQUE TO YOU, YOU ARE HEREBY PRODUCED WITH THREE OPTIONS PRODUCED BELOW. THIS OPTION YOU ARE TO CHOOSE THE ONE MOST CONVENIENT TO YOU.

THE OPTIONS, TOGETHER WITH THEIR ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS ARE PRESENTED BELOW. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PAY ONE OF THE COURIER CHARGES YOU WILL PREFERE TO ENABLE THE SHIPMENT OF YOUR CHEQUE AND AND OTHER CLAIM DOCUMENTS TO YOU.

OPTIONS: VAT(50/0) 37.00

(2working days) Mailing $200.00 00.00 Insurance $100.00 00.00 Vat (5%) $37.00 00.00 TOTAL $337.00 00.00
(4 working days)
Mailing &n bsp $150.00 00.00 Insurance $50.00 00.00 Vat (5%) $50.50 00.00 TOTAL $250.50 00.00

(6working days)
Mailing $100.00 00.00 Insurance $50.00 00.00 Vat (5%) $50.00 00.00 TOTAL $200.00 00.00


DOCUMENT INSURANCE:(IS ABSOLUTELY COMPULSERY, AS IT IS TO BE ADDED TO THE FEE OF ANY COURIER OPTION YOU DECIDE TO CHOOSE). Kindly be informed that Under the enabling act of parliament, diplomatic courier delivery has to be issured by the Nigerian insurance ministry before been despatched by courier delivery.

You are required to send the payment for the option you choose via western union money transfer to this office in the name of our claims account officer whose details are below:

Receivers Name: Mr Okpamen Denny
Address: PLOT 4, BLOCK 23, GARKI, ABUJA
Sender Name:
Amount Sent:
MTCN(Money Transfer Control Number)
Text Question If Any

You are to send these informations to this office after payment for confirmation and documentation.As soon as the required payment is made,your payment will be forwarded to the courier service for the delivery of your package.

This company declined reverse payment for these charges, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the cheque to you. That if a reverse payment is made, and something goes wrong, that we/you cannot sue the courier company or insurance company to recover the full value of the fund as stipulated in the cheque since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing.With the above reason, reverse payment is ruled out. which makes it absolutely necessary to produce the courier fee before courier can despatch delivery.

Note: that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you. This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the international gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3RD july 1996 by the constitutional assembly.This is to protect receipients and to avoid misappropriation of funds

Send your response to indicate your option within the next 24hrs,

ONCE AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS.

MR. Steve Smith.











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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam