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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "activation fee" (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. )
  • "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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: Townsend County Bank <townsendcountybankplc@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:34:43 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Townsend County Bank: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TRANSFER REQUEST


August 14th, 2007.

ATTN: Fred Kuefler ,

You are welcome to the foreign remittance/online department of Townsend County Bank PLC. TCB Bank is the flagship subsidiary of financial services group Townsend Security Worldwide. Our international transfer that links you to us is strictly under the law governing international transfer.

Townsend County Bank PLC has been assigned with the task to transfer your lottery prize money to you by offering you the services of our online banking system. Thus, we are here to serve and assist you in the transfer of your funds to any specified Bank at your location in your country or across the globe.

The Fiduciary office of the lottery has passed on your payment files to us. A winning Cheque from lottery organizers in the sum of 710,000.00 pounds sterling in your name is presently in a suspense account with this bank (Non-active account). Hence, cannot be transferred.

To this end, an online bank account will be opened/activated in your name to enable the subsequent deposition of the certified bank cheque so that we can proceed with the transfer of the fund.

Once this account has been opened/activated, you would transfer online the said fund to any of your designated bank account(s) across the globe.

Therefore, you are to offset an account activation fee (initial deposit) to set up the online account. Please NOTE that the initial deposit paid by you remains your money and will ONLY be used in setting-up the account before depositing your funds.

Note also that the Initial deposit paid by you is for the account type and it will be added and transferred along with your total fund of 710,000.00 pounds sterling.

All banks in the United Kingdom are authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and adheres to the principles of the Banking Codes including TownSend County Bank PLC .To this note, clients are required to abide by the Banking policies of the British Government by making security deposit for ACTIVATION FEES. The Financial Services Authority is the independent regulator set up by Government to look after the financial services industry and protect consumers.

Note that we cannot continue with the online bank transfer until the activation fees is paid because this said fund has to be deposited into an active account before it can be transferred to you. This is in accordance with section 17(1) (n) of the National Online Transfer Act as adopted in 1998 and amended on 3rd July 2005 by Parliament.

The Insurance bond protecting your winning price money state’s that the money is non deductible until it is in the custody of the beneficiary. This is in accordance with section 13(n) of the national gambling acts as adopts this in 1993 and amended on 23RD July 1996. This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds. Hence, ACCOUNT ACTIVATION FEE can not be deducted from the total money.

On receipt of the your mail aquiesing to this procedures, you shall be educated on the process mastered to facilitate this transaction within the earliest time possible.

Yours Faithfully,
J. S. Moore,
Transfer Manager
Foreign Remittance Department

TownSend County Bank: we are proud to handle your banking needs and serve you better.
..................................................................................................................................
This email and any attachments to it contain information that is confidential and may be privileged. It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient(s) please note that any form of distribution, copying or use of this communication or the information contained in it is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this email in error, please return it to the sender and delete the email from your records.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam