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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • ",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.
  • +31623446879 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: vodafone nl49 <vodafonenl49@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:09:26 +0200
Subject: COUPON WINNING NUMBER: AWIN-01257



COUPON WINNING NUMBER: AWIN-01257Vodafone.NLLottery and Gaming CentrePostbus 1500 6201 BM Maastricht,The NetherlandsTel: +31-623-446-879Fax: +31-847-224-016www.vodafone.nl Attn: Lucky Winner, Winning Couple number AWIN-01257: We bring to your notice the winning prize from Vodafone NL Lottery held on the 18th of October, 2007 through Internet ballot System among 10,000 Microsoft users. Subsequently, your email attached to Couple number AWIN-01257) won contract sum of €1,000,000 Euros from a total sum of €10,000,000 Euros. We request your serious attention to this notification by contacting the claims and notarization department with claim information and procedures of claim. Mrs. Sarah Lenert Mr. Adam Van Der DaviesTel: +31-616-705-385Fax: +31-847-184-734 Email: vodafone_claimdepartment@aol.nl Also require are; Your full name and addressYour telephone number {private/mobile number}Marital statusOccupationWinning Couple numberWinning email address Congratulations once again from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program. Yours Sincerely, Mrs. Veronica Van Gooi
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam