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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.

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:
  • "money order " (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 company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: GARY ART GALLERY <garyshelton_art@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 27 Jan 2007 04:49:21 -0500
Subject: JOB OPPORTUNITY (WORK FROM HOME)

Content-Type: text/plain

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit




GARY ART GALLERY

166 Felthamn Road, Unit 16

Ashford/London/TW15 1YQ

United Kingdom

Registration number: 3699677

VAT registration number: 832 6732



My name is Gary Shelton and I am an artist. I live in the United Kingdom, with my two kids, and the love of my life. I have been doing artwork since I was a small child. That gives me about 23 years of experience. I majored in art in high school and took a few college art courses. Most of my work is done in either pencil or airbrush mixed with color pencils. I have recently added designing and creating artwork on the computer. I have been selling my art for the last 3 years and have had my work featured on trading cards, prints and in magazines. I have sold in galleries and to private collectors from all around the world. I am always facing serious difficulties when it comes to selling my art works to people in the United States, some of my customers offers to pay with a UNITED STATES POSTAL MONEY ORDER, which is difficult for me to cash here in

United kingdom.



I am looking for an individual in the states who will be working for me and i am willing to pay 10% for every transaction, which wouldn’t affect your present state of work, someone who will receive payments on my behalf, from my customers in the states. These payments are in form of a money order and it will be made payable to your name, so all you need do is cash the money order deduct your percentage and wire the rest back to me via western union money transfer. I want you to know that you will not be investing any money from your pocket in this venture, you are to receive payments which will be sent by my customers to you via express mail.



If you can assist me with this transaction, I would like you to get back to me.



Awaiting your response and thanks.



God bless,

Gary Shelton

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam