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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:
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "yahoo/msn lottery inc" (no such lottery exists)
  • "yahoo/msn lottery" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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. )
  • "here in united kingdom" (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!
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
• 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.
  • +447024087525 (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.
  • michealphilip_esq@hotmail.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister Micheal Phillip <michealphilip_esq@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 08:01:34 +0000
Subject: LEGALIZATION AND NOTORIZATION FEES






Thomas Cadwell and Associates.
Promotion and Gaming Laws Dept.Contact Person: Bar. Micheal Phillip (Esq)103 Belle Vale Rd,Liverpool, Merseyside, L25 2PE Telephone: +44-702-408-7525

ATTN: Alice Reizian
Thanks for your email and the confirmation information sent by you. We hereby confirm you as the true beneficiary to YAHOO/MSN LOTTERY INC & WINDOWS LOTTERY Promotion Winner prize of £500,000.00 pounds sterlings with reference number REF Nº:YM35447XN in BATCH Nº.: YM 09102XN.
Our Legal/Professional Charge will be £5,100 for the Legalization and Notarization service to be rendered in regards to your winnings. You are to make payment for £500 of the professional charge up-front to us as Retainership. This is to cover the cost of registering and legalizing your winning claims with the United Kingdom Gaming Promotion Board and also with the Royal Court of Justice here in United Kingdom. The entire process will take only two days of us receiving payment from you. We will expect to receive the balance of £4,450 from you within 10 days of you receiving your winnings. For speed and convenience sake, Do make the payment to us for £500 via western Union Money Transfer or Money Gramm Transfer Outlet to the name of our accounts officer as given below:Name: Sharon VickyAddress: 103 Belle Vale Rd, Liverpool Merseyside L25 2PECountry: The United Kingdom.Amount: £500After Payments must have been made by you, we will send you a winning certificate that we go along with your won prize. you should then proceed to send us the information below as regards the very transfer as well as a scanned copy of the transfer slip from Western Union or Money Gramm: Senders First Name:Senders Last Name:Sender Address:MTCN (Money Transfer Control Numbers):
Ipso facto, we anticipate your full co-operation in this matter to enable us perfect your claims. Your swift performance would be highly appreciated as we are obliged to be of service to you.Congratulations Once again.Yours Sincerely,
Bar. Micheal Phillip (Esq)Telephone: +44-702-408-7525
Email: michealphilip_esq@hotmail.co.uk
_________________________________________________________________
100’s of Music vouchers to be won with MSN Music
https://www.musicmashup.co.uk/index.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam