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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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  • +2348039234436 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • drpolawilliams@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "claimsdept08 Gazeta.pl" <claimsdept08@gazeta.pl>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:14:51 +0100
Subject: Ref:575061725


DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDS DEPARTMENT
AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY CORPORATION.

Date:26/06/2008
Ref:575061725
Batch: 8056490902/188
Winning Numbers: 12 26 30 40 21
CASH PRIZE: USD $500,000.00

Congratulations,


This email is to inform you that you have emerged a winner on our
online draws which was played on 26th of June,2008. For further
information about your winnings, do contact the fiducial agent
assigned to your file via email as indicated below.

Official (agent): DR POLA WILLIAMS
Email: drpolawilliams@yahoo.com
Phone:+234-803-923-443-6

You are advised to send the following information to your Claims Agent
to facilitate The release of your fund to you.

1. Full name...............................
2. Country..................................
3. Contact Address.....................
4. Telephone Number.................
5. Fax Number............................
6. Marital Status.........................
7. Occupation.............................
8. My Date of birth.........
9. Sex.................................
10. Your country...................

10. Your country. I.e. the account number, bank name, swift
Code of the bank, address, telephone and fax! number of the
Bank and the account name.


Note: You are required to quote your reference number, batch number,
winning numbers and date of draw as given above in your email to your
fiducial agent.


Also note that,all winnings MUST be claimed by a STIPULATED TIME(ON OR
BEFORE 20th OF July 2008);otherwise all funds will be returned as
Unclaimed and eventually be reabsorbed into our next lucky dip
sweepstakes.


Yours truly,
Rose Hills(Mrs)
Co-ordinator(Online Australia Promo Programme).
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam