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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:
  • "money transfer control number" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: Elizabeth Fowler <fwlragency@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2007 11:35:20 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Re



Dear Ms Leonore Traugen

I have read your mail and i am aware of your request.I want you to know that the prize your email address won is a lot of money,we therefore ensure that certain steps are taken before we release this prize.This is to avoid double claims and also to make sure that the right winner gets the prize.The lottery organization has already appointed an agency as regards to the remmittance of your prize.For due process,you have to contact them as i instructed.

However,your claims file is with us which contains,our correspondence,winning certificate,personal information and scanned copy of your ID.If you wish us to send your prize directly by Cheque payment option,then you have to write a letter of mandate as soon as you receive this mail.
Furthermore,it is pertinent to let you know 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 below charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you. This is in accordance with section 13(1) (n) of the national gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3rd July 1996 by the constitutional assembly. This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds.

FEDEX

Mailing: £20.00
Insurance: £210.00
Vat: £180.00
TOTAL: £410.00 Equivalent of 607.837 EUR

THE FEDEX EXPRESS WILL TAKE US 48 WORKING HOURS TO DELIVER YOUR CHEQUE TO YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS.

NOTE: This Company decline reverse payment for these charges, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the cheque to you. That if a reverse payment is made, and something goes wrong, that we/you cannot sue the courier company or insurance company to recover the full value of the fund as stipulated in the cheque since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing. With the above reason, reverse payment is ruled out.

You are therefore advised to pay the above mentioned charges via Westernunion Money Transfer in your local area to our account officer with details below:

Rita Peters,
35 Rothbury Street,
HQ1E 7HU.London-UK,
Amount: £410.00 Equivalent of 607.837 EUR

Kindly send to us the following transfer details as listed below:

(1) Name of sender,
( 2 ) Money Transfer Control Number
( 3 ) Complete address of sender,
( 4 ) Amount sent,
( 5 ) Name of receiver.

Yours Sincerely,



Mrs Fowler


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam