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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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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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 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.
  • r.smithdesk@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY" <drawsunit04@gmail.com>
Reply-To: r.smithdesk@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:44:28 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS


YOU WON $400,000.00

==============================================

We are pleased to inform you about the Lottery Draw held on the 21st of JULY
2008 from the Australian National 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 (MR. RICHARD SMITH) for the release of
your $400,000 USD with the below email address and quote these numbers below
for him to file your claim.

================================================
Ref:? 575061725
Batch:8056490902/188 cash credit file
Ref: ILP/HW 46704/08.


================================================



Full Name................

Phone No.................

Country..................

Address..................

sex......................

Occupation...............



MR. RICHARD SMITH (CLAIMS OFFICE)
Email: r.smithdesk@gmail.com


Best Regards.
Ms. Linna Martins
(Information Minister)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam