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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +34659319088 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Miguel Martins Gomez" <migelmartins_gomez@yahoo.es> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 12:59:10 +0200
Subject: RELEASE OF LOTTO WINNING FUND.


Honurable Award Winner,

Following our joint meeting today the 12/June/2006 with the office of the Presidency spanish Lottery Board (S.L.B) of Directors ,In respect of an approval of your fund in this quarter of the fiscal year 2006 ,from the Spanish Ministry of Finance( S.M.F) and Lottery fund recovering bureau ,(L.F.R.B)
We wish to inform you that your payment has been approved for payment by cheque , through our international escrow account with the BANESTO BANK Madrid Spain
.
Your are therefore advice to reconfirm your contact information, more especially your WINNING DOCUMENTS. To enable us confirm your winning wordiness and allowing us send telex message to our paying bank the “BANESTO BANK MADRID SPAIN” for the clearance of your approved fund through their account with central bank of Spain.(Banco Central)


Note: In accordance with the anticorruption act of (2006) The Spanish Government made it mandatory that our foreign Beneficiary/Winners , should not pay any cent in receiving His/Her winning fund. This is to restore our good image before the international comminute .

In view of this development , you are warned to stop all communication with any other office and follow our bank instruction to avoid Fraud. This bank will forward to you a copy of your cheque after confirm your winning with our office affiliates for your confirmation with your local bank in your home country. To all the above regards it is very important that your forward your “PRIZE CLAIM CERTIFICATE.” For easy confirmation of your award payment with our affiliate. We await your urgent cooperation and understanding to all the above regards . Hope hearing from to enable our bank do our obligations to you.

Your Faithfully,
Miguel Martins Gomez +34-659-319-088
Director foreign operation department .
BANESTO BANK Madrid Spain.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam