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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:

• 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:
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• 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.
  • +447011133661 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • agent_edwardyorkshire@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: British National Lottery Results <agent_edwardyorkshire@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:07:48 +0200
Subject: Final Notice

BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY,
406 BURY NEW ROAD
WHITEFIELD,
MANCHESTER M45 7SX
UNITED KINGDOM.

DEAR WINNER!

We happily announce to you the draw (#1005)of the BRITISH NATIONAL
 LOTTERY Online Sweepstakes International program,Ticket number:
56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02,which subsequently won you
 the prize of £1,000,000.00 (One Million Great British Pounds
 Sterlings)in
cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.

You are to contact Mr. Edward Yorkshire via Email with the following
information for further directives:
NAME:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBERS (HOME & CELLULAR):
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE:
EMAIL ADDRESS:

Contact Person: MR. Edward Yorkshire
Tel: +4470 1113 3661
Email: agent_edwardyorkshire@yahoo.co.uk

Congratulations from members of staff.

Yours faithfully,
Lloyds Richard(MR)
Online co-ordinator.

--

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam