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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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.
  • +34685396691 (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.
  • unionfincesp@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Euromillones <euromil@mail.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 12:53:16 +0100
Subject: Urgent Notification




EUROMILLIOÑ ESPAÑOL
APATIDO DE CORREOS Nº 236
28980, 11 GUZMAN
MADRID SPAIN.

FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
REF: EMG/743/B7/625
BATCH: 062/2006.
ATTENTION: WINNER.
REF: AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you, about the release of the result to our first international promotion program( SORTEO DE NAVIDAD), held on 30th December 2005. Organised, to promote and encourage international participation, in our international first high stake New Year lottery program. This prize, is awarded to the person whose email address name appear above, only after verification from data available with us, by your claims agent.This is due to mix up of some last names. We advice you to (KEEP THIS NOTIFICATION PERSONAL, UNTIL FINAL CLAIMS HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AFTER VERIFICATION BY YOUR REGISTERED CLAIMS AGENT).
All names entered in the program, were presented by our international department, in conjunction with world email address names in internet, and humanitarian organisations, with the help of chambers of commerce of countries, in Europe, North and South America,Australia,Newzealand, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. A computer balloting system, was used to select 2,553,000 emails out of 8,950,000 email names, presented in our first promotional program held this year.
In the 8th series from a pool of over €9,000,000.00(Nine million euros), playing with the seven numbers 8-16-19-43-45- 1-4. Your email address name under ticket number 313, won in the 4th category. Your ticket number 313, was awarded the sum of €466,812.79(Four hundred and sixty six thousand, eight hundred and twelve euros seventy nine cents). Your security file number, is EMG-986-S555. Please, Keep it confidential.
Beneficiaries, are to come to Europe, and make direct claims to their respective winnings. In a situation were winners can not travel to Europe, for direct claims, Alternative transfer process will be effected, by the help of your registered claims agent. All winnings must be insured to the original value, before alternative transfer process, can be effected. This is to prevent unwarranted taking advantage of the situation, by non participants, who might get access to your file number.
To begin your claims, contact your claims agents, Mr. Juan Barroso transfer Manager of UNION SECURITY FINANCE COMPANY S A by Tel number +34-6-853-96691 or email:-unionfincesp@yahoo.es for verification, directly with data available with us of all winners, before direct claims or alternative transfer can be effected. (If beneficiaries can not come to Europe, for direct claims and cash pick up, winnings must be insured to the original value by the lottery company before alternative transfer process can be effected after verification).
The dead line date for this claims is 29th Febuary 2006. After this date, winnings will be returned to the Economic ministry, as unclaimed, and late entry penalty requirements must be met, before late entry claims might be considered . All correspondence, must be directed to your authorized and registered claims agent UNION SECURITY FINANCE COMPANY S A, since we have paid them, to act as your claims agent. Should there be any change of email address, make sure you contact your claims agent, as soon as possible, by stating your correct email address and name. You should only disclose your security file number, to your claims agent, only and when asked. We hope you will be pleased to take part, in our next program, to be held on 6th March 2006. Correspondence will be mailed to you in due course. Once again, Congratulations, for your winning in our first program, which we conducted as a promotional - program, in our first promotion effort, to go international and happy christmas in advance.
Sign:
LUIS. G. SANCHEZ
(PROGRAM DIRECTOR)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam