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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
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• 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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
• 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.
  • +34677040164 (Spain, 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.
  • eurolottos@emailaccount.com

Fraud email example:

From: EURIMILLIONES INTERNATIONAL. <euromillioneslottos@myway.com>
Date: Mon, 02 Jan 2006 20:33:34 +0100
Subject: YOU HAVE WON THE YEAR LOTTO.


EUROMILLIONES LOTTO INTERNATIONAL
GUZMAN EL BUENO,130 28007
MADRID SPAIN.
ATTENTION: Honorable winner .

RE: NEW YEAR LOTTO AWARD BONAZA!!!.
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the EURO MILLONES LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM held on the 1st
-1-2006.Your name were entered as dependent client.
With REF Nº:EGS/0007459015/03 and BATCH Nº:17/7024/IPD. Should there be any discrepancy in your name and address, please contact €uro Security & Insurance Company.
Your name attached to ticket number: 0016-359142-07 with serial number: 52201-61drew the lucky winning numbers: 2––22––16––70––33––10. This subsequently, won the lottery in the third category. You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out € 700,000,.00 (SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND . EUROS) in cash credited to REF NO: EGS/0007459015/03. This is from a total cash prize of € 5,000,000.00 ( FIVE MILLION EUROS) Shared among seventeen international winners in this category. Congratulations!!!
Your fund is now deposited with a security company insured to your name. Due to mixed up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your nominated account as this is a part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participant
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system and sponsored by MAPFRE MARKETING S.L. drawn from 25,000 (TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND), names from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America as part of our international promotions programme which we conduct once every year. We hope that with a part of your prize you will take part on SUMMER DRAW PROGRAM high stake €1.3 billion international lottery.


To Begin your claim, contact DR BENARD THOMPSON Foreign Operations Manager of €uro Security & Insurance Company On TEL: +34-677-040-164/FAX:+34-651-308-532. /Email: Eurolottos@EMAILACCOUNT.COM Processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember that all prize money must be claimed before 27th-1-2006.After this date all funds will be return to the MINISTRY DE ECONOMIC Y HACIENDA as unclaimed.
NOTE:You are responsible for the Insurance and Bank Transfer fees of your winning fund to your nominated bank account in your country. In order to avoid unnecessary delay and complication if there is any changes of your address, please do inform your claims agent, please remember to quote your reference number and batch number at every of your correspondence with your Claims Agent.
Congratulations once again
JOSE MARIA GUTI.
(Director)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam