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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "deadline" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
  • "cashier's 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • jobvacancy@mail.com

Fraud email example:

From: Gregory Longstreet <greg46516@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:14:23 +0000
Subject: RE: PART TIME JOB OFFER



There are easier ways to receive your money then doing it like this. I suggest you explore other ways to receive your money, PayPal is one way. > Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:19:01 -0500> From: jobvacancy@mail.com> Subject: PART TIME JOB OFFER> To: > > > > Dear Friend> > > My name is Mr Gerrard Kelvin. I just came about your email address through an> online email listing and I would be very interested in offering you a> part-time paying job in which you could earn a lot without quitting your> present Job or having problem with your employers.> I am a man with 4 kids all boys and the love of my life, my wife. I am a> some what multitalented man and I do quite a lot of traveling and get to> meet quite a lot of people.> I just resigned my job as a research scientist but I still work as a> freelance consultant for the institute which gives me very much time to do> my own work which is basically being a freelance researcher who could be> employed by research institutes to do research projects anywhere in the> world.> I reside in London, U.K even though I have lived most of my life in other> parts of the world like the uk, I am fully residing in Ireland. Presently,> I have just been granted a funding to head a research project in the> tropical regions of West Africa regarding rare and vulnerable plant> species and this would be commencing very soon.> However my funding were by my American counterparts who send me the bunch> of payments mostly in US based money orders. Getting an accountant in the> States or opening an account would have been my best choice but I have a> deadline to meet and taking any of those choices would cost me time and a> whole lot of other requirements I am not ready to deal with, as I would be> travelling a lot in the meantime.> So presently, assuming you would be able to deal with cash, I would be> willing to employ you on contract basis to be my payment representative> back in the States, this way I could issue and make payments in form of> Money Orders, Cashier's Check Or even Bank Transfer, etc out to you, you could> then cash them> easily, withdraw 10% of the total amount on these payment instruments as> your commission and then send the rest back to me through Western Union Or Monay> gram.> Please, bear it in mind that we would be dealing with quite a handful of

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam