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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
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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million british pounds" (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.
  • +447011151005 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Uk National Lottery Board" <uk-lottery@hamdard.net.pk>
Reply-To: claimsunit6@live.com
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:07:41 +0500
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS....YOU ARE A CERTIFIED WINNER

THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
P O BOX 1010
LIVERPOOL, L70 1N
LUNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X4/67
Batch:073/05/ZY366

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

Dear Winner,
We are delighted to inform you that your e-mail have have won you the
sum of ONE MILLION BRITISH POUNDS STERLING in the ongoing British
International Lottery Program which was held on the 9th of February,
2008.
You have been approved a lump sum pay of ONE MILLION GREAT BRITAIN
POUNDS in cash credited to file ref: Ref: UK/9420X4/67. Selection of
winners
was done electronically and all participant were selected through a
computer balloting system drawn from four thousand e-mail addresses
all
over the world.

To claim your prize, simply contact our claims agent:


NAME: Frank Keller
Email: claimsunit6@live.com
Telephone: + 44 701 1151005
You are to provide the following details to our claims agent:

1. Full Names:
2. Address:
3. Occupation:
4. Age:
5. Sex:
6. Nationality:
7. Country:
8. Telephone Number:

Congratulations on this marvelous winning!

Regards,
Mrs. Rose zeev birger
Public Relation Officer

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam