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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• 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.
• 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.
  • +447031807321 (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.
  • cocacolaclaimsdept@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "CocaCola Company" <cocacola.006@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 09:24:42 +0200
Subject: Beneficiary!!!


The Cocacola Online Lottery Dept.
London, United Kingdom.
1st September 2008.

Dear Beneficiary,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded Online
Draws of Coca-Cola Worldwide 2nd Quarterly Annual Product Promotion held in
United Kingdom on the 30th of August 2008 at 10:45am.
After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged as one of
fifty winners in the Second category for the second prize with the following
data:
Ref Number: CC/BRRR/W7669, Batch Number: 1010/22011978, Ticket Number:
0080223/UKCC
You as well as the other winners are therefore to receive a cash prize of
US$510,000 (FIVE HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) each from
the total payout.
To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are advised to
contact our licensed and accredited claims agent below:
Claims Agent's Details:
NAME: DR. BARRY CAGE (ESQ)
E-mail: cocacolaclaimsdept@hotmail.com
Contact Telephone number: +44 703 180 7321

You are to provide the following details:
YOUR FULLNAME
YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS
YOUR CONTACT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS

Yours sincerely,
THOMAS G. MATTIA
Online Lottery Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam