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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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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!
• 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.
  • agentfestus22@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Grand Lottery Inc <grand.lottery_2inc@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: agentfestus22@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:01:57 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Winning Notification


Date: 25/01/2008
Reference Number: 575061725
Batch Number: 8056490902/188
Winning Number: GB8701/LPRC

CONGRATULATIONS

ATTENTION: LUCKY WINNER

SUBJECT: WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you as a result of our recent International Internet Lottery promotion draw held on 24th January, 2008 by computer ballot system. Your email address name was attached to Ticket Number: 47061725 07056490902, Serial Number: 7741137002 which drew the lucky numbers 5-13-33-37-42 bonus number 17, which consequently won the draw in the 3rd category. Your email address name is amongst the EIGHT email addresses chosen to receive the prize of US$450,000.00 (Four Hundred & Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) each in this category.

These email addresses were chosen out of individual email addresses selected all over the world from worldwide web sites search engines and chambers of commerce brochures for this computer draw. You have been approved to receive this prize money credited to File Ref: ILP/HW 47509/06 attached to your email address name. This is from a total prize of US$3.6 Million shared amongst the 8(EIGHT) International Winners in this category. This promotion is sponsored by United Nation, National Lottery, Hotmail, Yahoo, Corporate Organizations and Eminent Personalities to create awareness of internet benefits and computer literacy for encouragement of equity and aid eradication of poverty worldwide.

Remember, you neither participated physically in this computer ballot draw nor did you buy any ticket for this draw. Your email name is lucky to be among the selected in this category, therefore claiming of prize are subjected to clearance process before payment. To avert information leakage, prizes are secured with a secret code. Your code will be sent to your fiduciary clearance agent.

Your prize cannot be tampered with until you have claimed and received the whole approved money in your possession. This is due to strict payment and insurance policy. We have six clearance offices zoned continentally: CANADA, BRAZIL, NIGERIA, INDONESIA, LONDON and AUSTRALIA. Your details (e-mail address) falls within our African representative office in Nigeria, West Africa and your prize of US$450,000.00 will be released to you from this regional branch office in Nigeria. Your Claims Agent will facilitate payment process immediately you contact him.

Three payment options are made available to you. (A) Certified Cheque (B) Bank Draft (C) Bank Transfer {If you choose 0ption C, you need to provide an account information.

Due to the mixed up of some numbers and names, we ask you to keep this Winning Notification, confidential from public notice until your prize money has been processed and remitted to you. This is part of our precautions to avoid double claiming prize and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by spammers.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

To file for your prize claim, contact the approved fiduciary agent with all these required information stated below:

REFERENCE NUMBER:
BATCH NUMBER:
AMOUNT WON:
FULL NAME:
DATE OF BIRTH:
OCCUPATION:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RELIGION:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
MOBILE NUMBER:
EMAIL ADDRESS:

Your fiduciary/claims agent officer is: REV. Festus Knowles
You are to contact him either via email (agentfestus22@yahoo.co.uk)

All prizes must be claimed before 27th March, 2008. After this date, funds will be returned as unclaimed.

Yours sincerely,
Mrs.Michelle Lincoln
Coordinator,
Australia Lottery Board

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Make sure you keep contact only with the approved clearance agent. Any transaction you hold with other person(s) beside him is at your own risk. Be aware that your paying authority will affect payment swiftly upon satisfactory report, verifications and validation provided by you in accordance with policy of the Lottery Board.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam