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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "required fee " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: john anderson <johnanderson_004@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:59:44 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Issuance of a cheque.


Dear Amell Diet,

You winnings can be transferred through a certified Cheque posted to your address. It all depends on the type of transfer you would like. Issuance of a Cheque is ok and very possible. A bank to bank transfer could be made directly to your account. This you have to instruct the bank and indicate whichever means you wish to recieve your winnings.

However, in any of the cases you must have to pay for any required fee such as the tax. Once you are able to meet up with the requirments then your winnings will be transferred either through a cheque or direct bank transfer. I hope I have made everything clear to you. If you really want to have your winnings, kindly contact our paying bank as I was informed that you have been contacted but there was no response from you till date.

John Anderson
(Claim Agent)
wrote:

For some time I was reflecting about slowly your recent email and frankly, I am a little distressed.

Sorry but it is now definitely more difficult to obtain my prize than promised. Can it not be easier to just post me a winners check? Kindly please make clear this for me?

Expectantly I wish to read a obliging reply from you as soon as possible.

Amell

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam