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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "clear source of funds certificate" ("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. )
  • "certificates of origin of funds" ("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. )
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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.
  • +447045726039 (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.
  • tntcourierdeliverycompany002@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION MONEY <claimsagentdepartment003@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2007 14:59:33 +0800 (CST)
Subject: {Disarmed} YOU HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR PAYMENT(CONTACT COURIER)








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WESTERN UNION PUBLIC RELATIONS

UK Corporation
WESTERN UNION MONEY
Way Redmond, WA 98052.
WESTERN UNION MONEY TEAM

Dear.Cort Kell,

Congratulations once again on behalf of the WESTERN UNION MONEY TEAM. I wish to inform You that Your won prize and some document has been forwarded to the TNT Express Courier Service delivery.The courier has been our affiliated courier for years and has been helping Us to deliver won checks and document to Our lucky winners.

We do believe that your winnings will be put into good use for community, educational and business development.
On Behalf of the Screening Committee of WESTERN UNION MONEY TEAM, I wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the Email Screening and Verification Form Matching Test conducted for all online winners in your Category. Hence you are therefore cleared for payment.

All necessary documents that will facilitate the clearance of your cheque in your name has been processed. Your parcel contains the following Documents:
1.WINNING CHEQUE VALUED THE SUM OF 250,000.00

2.WINNING CERTIFICATE FROM THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TEAM.

3.CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES(C.S.F.C.)

4.CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN OF FUNDS(C.O.F.)

5.LETTER OF AFFIDAVITS FROM THE BRITISH HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE, STATING THAT THE WINNING WAS RECEIVED LEGALLY FROM THE UNIVERSAL DONATION PROGRAM, AND DUELY SIGNED BY THE LEGAL ATTORNEY TO THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TEAM.


You are to contact TNT Express Courier Service via email for your won prize(250,000.00) with your identification number HLF/200-26937 Your identification number: has been sent to our affiliate TNT Express Courier Service . You are required to contact the courier officer of TNT Express Courier Service care department via email.
******************************************************************************************
TNT Express Courier Service
Customer Services Department
3 Harewood Row,
London, NW1 6SE
England
Email address: tntcourierdeliverycompany002@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: + (44)7045726039
Mr. MICHEAL WILLIS
Customer service department
TNT Express Courier Service


________________________________________________
Do contact the TNT Express Courier Service via the email given to you. Note that we are aware of the fact that there are alot of Lottery Scandals out there just to get poor citizen reaped off by some evil doers, Well we wish to disclaim ourself from all this UnGodly act and to let you know that this WESTERN UNION MONEY TEAM is a Scheme that is been operated under the law as we have been Licenced to do this by the British Government, Our Activities are in accordance with section 4, subsection 4(ii) of the Gambling act of the 1999 constitution as it is applicable in the United Kingdom.I need to make It Clear to You at this Juncture that Since this Check and All Other Accompaning Documents have Finally been Issued In Your Name, You Will be responsible for Any Cost Of Transfer that May be demanded For by the Courier Company.

May You need my help in any other way? Please, always be free to get back to me via email as our office is also open from Monday to Saturday to attend to Our Winners .


Best Regards,

Sir DENNIS JULIUS.
Claims Agent Manager,
Payment and Release order Department,
TRANS-ATLANTIC S.A LONDON, WESTERN UNION MONEY TEAM




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam