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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "vat (5%)" (VAT rate in the UK is 17.5%, check the math)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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!
• 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.
• 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.
  • +447011120269 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Acorn Express Courier <acornexpresscourier07@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:24:34 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Welcome to Acorn Express Courier Ltd




Unit 4 Armstrong Business Center, Goldie Rd,
Bothwell Park Ind Est, Uddingston, G71 6PBP
Phone:+(44)701-112-0269
Fax: +(44)871-263-5914


Hello Solvig Jaeg,
Welcome to Acorn Express Courier Ltd

We are pleased to be at your service, with our strong assets base, insurance cover for all deliveries and a Ten year working relationship with the UK LOTTERY and i will like to say that this winning is not one of the internet scam you know of this is real making a classic choice.

I've just confirmed that you have been officially cleared for payment by the Verifications Dept. at the headquarters of the UK National Lottery.
All your winning documents which include your certificate and a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the British government, stating that the money was obtained legally through the National Lotto will be sent to you as soon as you meet with any of the option selected.

You can now begin the final step of the claims process, which is the transferring of your cash prize to you. With regards to this, there are two options open to you; you are required to select the most convenient of the three .The options, together with their associated conditions are presented below:

The options, together with their associated conditions are presented below:
Option 1:

You can come over to the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY OFFICE in liverpool to claim your winnings if thats okay by you.You will be informed on how to reach us and all the necessary details you need. Or choose from any of our transfer options which is stated below .

The UK Lottery Office address is :
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY OFFICE(payment office)
27 CYPRESS CLOSE NE4 8UJ Liverpool, L70 1NL
ENGLAND,UNITED KINGDOM

Option 2:
Courier your winner cheque to you via any of this channels listed below:

24 HOURS DELIVERY

Mailing..............................................£305.00
Insurance..........................................£250.00
Vat (5%)...........................................£22.75
TOTAL...............................................£577 .75




48 HOURS DELIVERY

Mailing..............................................£289.00
Insurance..........................................£250. 00
Vat (5%)........................................... £21.95
TOTAL............................................... £560.95

72 HOURS DELIVERY

Mailing..............................................£290.00
Insurance..........................................£250.00
Vat (5%)........................................... £19.00
TOTAL................................................£559.00


94 HOURS DELIVERY





Post office mail
Mailing.............................................£120.00
Insurance...........................................£300.00
Vat (5%)...............................................£21.00
TOTAL..................................................£441.00

Option 3:
The said amount £552,000,00 (Five hundred and fifty-two thousand pounds sterling) ,will be wired to your bank account via swift bank transfer.
Condition: The cost of COT (commission of transfer) being charged by our transferring bank, which is 0.3% (i.e £1,623.06) please note that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you.

This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you.Moreover, you are required to send payment charges via western union money transfer, of what ever option you have chosen to our dispatch agent Mr. Christino Matthew, who is in charge of sending you your cheque and winning documents.

Also, you are required to send to us as soon as possible, these few information below:


(1) Email us so that we can begin process for your trip(if you have choosen option1)
(2.)The delivery option which you've choosen.
(3.)Your bank details(if you have chosen option 3, bank transfer.)
(4.)Attach a scanned copy of either your driver's licence, international passport (photo page) or any other legally identifying document and send to us for identification purposes.

Having done this, you would be given proper guidelines on how to go about sending the payment and note you are advice to keep this winning information from any one to avoid double claiming or delivery of funds to the wrong person.

Regards,
Mr. Frank Wales

Acorn Express Courier Ltd



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam