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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!
  
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• 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:

• 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:
  • "fudiciary" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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 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.
  • britishtobaccoverification13@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Celtel Promo" <WEBDNXIEV401@prodigy.net>
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:06:48 -0800
Subject: PERSONAL!!!

BRITISH TOBACCO MEGA JACKPOT PROMOTION UNITED KINGDOM
OFFICIAL PRIZE NOTIFICATION
This is to inform you that you have been selected for
a cash prize of(one million Five Hundred
Thousand United State Dollars)in the International
programs held on the 23th January 2007
in London Uk.The selection process was carried out
through random selection in our computerized
email selection system(s) from a database of over
250,000 mail addresses drawn from all the
continents of the world.The British Tobacco Lottery is
approved by the British Gaming Board and
also Licensed by The International Association of
Gaming Regulators (IAGR).To begin the
processing of your prize you are to contact our
executive claims officer through the contact
stated below with your personal informations for
verification purpose:

Mr. ALBERT GREGORY.
Fudiciary Agent/Payment Officer.
E-mail: britishtobaccoverification13@yahoo.co.uk
1.Name in full, 2.Address, 3.Nationality, 4.Age
5.Occupation,6.Phone/Fax,7.Present Country

Winners are advised to keep their winning
details/informations safe from the public to avoid
fraudulent claims. *Winners under the age of 18 are
automatically disqualified.*Staff of the
British Tobacco Company are not allowed to partake in
this Lottery.

KAREN PETERSON.
Co-coordinator.
AGENT.

NOTE: Do not reply this mail. You are to contact your
claims processor immediately by email.This
promo is all about emails, be aware.WARNING!!! ANY
MAIL RECIEVED OF THIS SUCH WITH ANY OTHER
TRADE MARK OR ADDRESS SHOULD BE FOWARDED TO YOUR
CLAIMS AGENT IMMEDIATELY; THIS WILL HELP US TO
FIGHT SCAM AND LOTTERY IMPOSTERS.THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam