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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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 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.
  • edwardgivens_jnr@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Africa konsult" <gracembom_africakonsult@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 10:27:32 -0700
Subject: pls be notified

Dear Friend,

I am edward givens jnr. Guardian Financial Services, U.K. I have a
concealed business suggestion foCRESTA WINNERS PROMOTIONS
NEW GATE 21B
ESSEX,LONDON
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
Customer Service: 680 NCA 85914

Ref: EAAL/851OYHI/04
Batch No Lotto 6/49
Draw Coupon: Match 6+B


WINNING NOTIFICATION

Dear Winner,

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SPONSORS THIS LOTTERY FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE
2010 WORLD CUP TO BE HOSTED IN SOUTH AFRICA.

We happily announce to you the draw of the CRESTA WINNERS

Lottery International programs held on this month in Essex United Kingdom.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: B956475604545 100 with!
Serial number 46560 drew the winning numbers 03/12/23/30/36/37/ with a
bonus # 35, for LOTTO 6/49 under the choice of the lottery in the 2nd
category of daily three. You have therefore been approved to claim a
total sum of US$820,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States
Dollars) credited to file EAAL/9080118308/04. This is from a total cash
prize of US $110,000,000 Million dollars, shared amongst the first
One-Hundred and thirty (130) lucky winners in this category worldwide.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Afro booklet
representative office in Africa as indicated in your play coupon, because
this particular draw was selected to promote the 2010 World Cup to be
Hosted in South Africa hence your winning information must be kept to
enable you participate in our
subsequent games before the grand finale.

In view of this, your US$820,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand
United States Dollars) would be released to you by an accredited
commercial Bank in South Africa. Our African agent will immediately commence
the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you
contact him. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web
site through computer draws system and extracted from over 10,000,000
companies and personal e-mails.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to
you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of
our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted
abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. To
file for your claim, please contact our corresponding agent in South
Africa immediately you read this message for quick and urgent release of
your fund, contact information is as follow:

Email: gracembom_africakonsult.

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with our designated agents. Do
send the following Personal Details:

NAME:

ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBERS:

EMAIL ADDRESS:

AGE:

SEX:

MARITAL STATUS:

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

OCCUPATION:

POSITION IN THE COMPANY:

DRAW WINNING NUMBERS:

Congratulations once more from all of here to all of you that are
winners of this promotion.

Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Yours Sincerely,
mbom grace(mrs)
African, Zonal Co-ordinator
gracembom_africakonsult@yahoo.co.ukr you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war, our client, Brig.
General Sadiq Waheed Mohammed who was with the Iraqi
forces and also a business man made a numbered fixed
deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of
Fifteen Million United state dollars only
(US$15,000,000.00M) in my branch. Upon maturity
several notices were sent to him, even some periods during the war.
Again after the war another
notification was sent and still no response came from
him. We later found out that the General and his
family had been killed during the war in a bomb blast
that hit their home. After further investigation it
was also discovered that Brig. General Sadiq Waheed
Mohammed did not declare any next of kin in his
official papers including the paperwork of his bank
deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he
was at my office that no one except me knew of his
deposit in my bank. So, Fifteen Million United state
dollars only (US$15,000,000.00M) is still lying in my
bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.

MY PROBLEM:
What bothers me most is that according to the laws of
my country, upon
the expiration of 3 years, the funds will revert to the
ownership of the British Government if nobody applies
to claim the funds. Against this backdrop, my
suggestion to you is that I will like you to stand as
the next of kin to Brig. General Sadiq Waheed Mohammed
so that you will be able to receive his funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:
I want you to know that I have had everything planned
out so that we shall come out successful. I have
contacted an attorney that will prepare the necessary
documentation that will back you up as the next of kin
to Brig. General Sadiq Waheed Mohammed. Said attorney
will contact you as soon as you express an interest to
be part of this venture.

All that is required from you at this stage is that
you provide me with your Full Names, Address and
telephone number so that the attorney can commence his
job. After you have been made the next-of-kin, the
attorney will also file in for claims on your behalf
and secure the necessary approval and letter of
probate in your favor for the movement of the funds to
an account that will be provided by you. There is no
risk involved at all in the matter as we are going
adopt a legalized method and the attorney will prepare
all the necessary documents. Please endeavor to
observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning
this issue. Once the funds have been transferred to
your nominated bank account,we shall share in the
ratio of 85% for me, 10% for you and 5% for any
expenses incurred during the course of this operation.


Your earliest response to this letter will be
appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Mr. edward givens jnr.
edwardgivens_jnr@yahoo.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam