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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:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "international lottery programme"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +31642696315 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • stevfranklin4era@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Lycos Analyst" <lycosanalyst@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: lycosanalyst@netscape.net
Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 17:23:10 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

LYCOS SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL


FROM: THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARDS DEPARTMENT
15 NEWSTEAD COURT, KETTERING,
NORTHANS,LONDON. NN15 6XP
REF Nº: EGS/2251256003/02
BATCH Nº:14/0017/1PD
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION/ FINAL NOTICE,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the LYCOS DE LA PRIMITIVA
HIGH-STAKE INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROGRAMME which was held on the 10th June,
2005. Due to mix up of names, the results were finally released on 28th
August, 2005.
Your name attached to ticket number 025-11464992-750 with serial number
2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 4-18-24-30-31-35 which consequently won the
lottery in the 1st category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of US$26,500.00
(Twenty six Thousand five hundred Dollars) in cash credited to the file
reference number: EGS/2251256003/02. This is from a total cash price of
US$4,250,000.00 ( Four Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars)
shared among the 17 (seventeen) international winners in this category.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
25,000 names from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America as
part of our international promotions program which we conduct twice every
year. We hope that with part of your prize, you will part-take in our next
high stake promotions agenda of US$50 MILLION international lottery.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Your fund is now deposited in an offshore bank insured in your name. Due to
the mix up of some numbers and names, we advice that you keep this award
from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money
remitted to your nominated bank account as this is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted abuse of this program by
the general public.

To begin your claim please contact your claims agent via nederlands:

barr,STEVEN FRANKLIN email: stevfranklin4era@yahoo.com

phone:+31-642-696-315

for processing and remittance of your prize funds to your designated bank
account or location.

Note that all prize funds must be claimed not later than 30th DECEMBER 2005.
After this date all funds will be returned to the BRITISH LOTTERY TREASURY
as unclaimed. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
endeavor to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence
with us or your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change in your
address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thanks for
being part of our promotions program.

JUDGE MATINS

(EUROPEAN ZONAL CO-ORDINATOR)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam