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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:
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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")
• 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.
  • +447035913129 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • leon.rippy@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Cynthia Cox" <cyntha_cox001@gala.net>
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:36:27 -0700
Subject: IMPORTANT MESSAGE.......(CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER IMMEDIATELY)


WINNING NOTIFICATION
====================

We are pleased to inform you about the Lottery Draw held on the 12TH of JULY
2008 from the Canadian/Euro Stakes Lottery Programme .This is to inform You
that your e-mail has been emerged as a winner For further information and
claim, contact your claims agent in London due to the fall of your ballot
(MR.LEON RIPPY) for the release of your $450,000 USD with the below email
address and quote these numbers.
================================================
Ref:? 575061725
Batch:8056490902/188 cash credit file
Ref: ILP/HW 46704/08.
================================================

Full Name................Phone No.................
Country..................Address..................
Sex......................Occupation...............

MR. LEON RIPPY (CLAIMS OFFICER)
Email: leon.rippy@gmail.com or leonrippy@ymail.com
Tel - +447035913129

Best Regards.
Ms. Cynthia Cox.
(Management)
Canadian/Euro Stakes Lottery Programme.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam