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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:

• 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:
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "money orders " (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. )
  • "cashiers check" (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 company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
• 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.
  • jamessmith1978@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: James Smith <ssmithjames1978@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:59:27 -0700
Subject: PART TIME EMPLOYMENT




PART TIME EMPLOYMENT
I am Dr. James Smith Director of wingas,
I am pleased in offering you a part time paying job.
Below is the description of wingas and all you will need to know about the job.

Description of Wingas:
The company deals with areas of operation like Gas Management, Gas Procurement, Gas sales and marketing, Gas network and Gas Storage. The founder of the company was one William McMullan, a chemist by Profession, who started the business modestly delivering paraffin oil by Horse and cart around the streets of Belfast.

JOB DESCRIPTION
This project has been developed in a way not to affect your present job nor bring you any form of stress but in order to help take care of those extra costs, it came to my knowledge that there are a lot of lapses in handling funds that come in from the states which come in forms of cashiers checks, company checks and money orders and are not readily cashable outside the United States and some sent mails that do not delivered due to lapses in courier services, So we need someone in the
States to work as our representative and assist us in processing the payments from our various clients which come in on a weekly, monthly and annual basis. This is why we decided to get a representative over in the states to help us pick up our payments at your contact address you shall be providing us, in order to process our payment from our clients. So I talked to the company accountant, and it was a good idea to hire
someone trustworthy who could receive the FUNDS in the United States and this happens to be a good idea.

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS RECEIVE THIS PAYMENTS FROM OUR CLIENTS IN THE STATES GET IT CASHED AT YOUR BANK, THEN DEDUCT YOUR PERCENTAGE (10% OF EACH PAYMENT) AND FORWARD THE BALANCE OVER TO THE COMPANY'S FINANCE DIRECTOR VIA MONEY GRAM.

Our payments will be issued out in your name as we would inform our clients to do.
Therefore the following details would be needed:

Full Names.
Mailing Address.(PO BOX NOT ALLOWED)
City.
Zip-Code.
State.
Tel:
Gender.
Present Occupation.
Age.
Email.
Mode Of Identification.


I WOULD ENDEAVOUR THAT YOU NOTE THE FOLLOWING THINGS BELOW:
DO YOU HAVE A CHECKING ACCOUNT? YES/NO
IF YES , NAME OF BANK ?
WHATS YOUR BEST MEANS OF COMMUNICATION ? Email or Phone

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, GET BACK TO ME WITH THE REQUIRED INFORMATION RESPONSED TO jamessmith1978@yahoo.com.

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
Warmest Regards,
Dr.James Smith
E-mail;jamessmith1978@yahoo.com

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam