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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:
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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +22993907426 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • jerry_henry22@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: beninofficefile44@microcamp.com.br
Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 01:12:49 -0300
Subject: UNCLAIMED LOTTO PRIZE PAYMENT NOTICE


INTERNATIONAL LOTTO COMMISSIONJuan Hurtado De Mendoza 6D 28044,Cotonou
Republic du BeninUNCLAIMED LOTTO PRIZE PAYMENT NOTICEAttention To The Owner
Of This Email Address.Winner in the 2nd category of our Euroafric free Net
Lottery Promotional award draws held JANUARY 2007.I am writing in respect to
your lotto winning prize of$715,810.00(Seven hundred and fifteen thousand
eight hundred and ten US Dollars only) which you won through the email-ballot
draws in our Euroafric Lotto Award in JANUARY 2007 in the second category
prize winnings category.We wish to inform you that your total prize money of
$715,810.00 has been returned to us by our Lotto claims agent as unclaimed
prize after their initial letter to your email address for your payment was
not successful.You are here by requested to contact our Treasury Office on
telephone +22993907426 and e-mail:(jerry_henry22@yahoo.fr) for your immediate
payment.Our Treasury officer's name is Mr jerry henry,so refer this to him and
contact him immediately for your unclaimed lotto prize payment to you.You
should contact our Treasury Officer as directed above for your payment, and
do notify me as soon as you received your payment from our Treasurer.you can
also logon on to our site for more information
http://www.euroafriclotto.pro.tm/Thanks,MrS VERA LUCAS.President; Int'l Lotto
Commission.
_________________________________________________________
Microcamp

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam