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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "el gordo " (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "foreign service manager" (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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "cheque " (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 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.
  • +34625539793 (Spain, 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.
  • directsecuritnetwork@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "LOTERIA NACIONAL" <loterianacional@aol.in> (may be fake)
Reply-To: directsecuritnetwork@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:14:34 +0200
Subject: YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON THE LOTTERY.

LOTERIA NACIONAL
C/ SAN JOSE 22, 28830,
MADRID, ESPAÑA.
REF Nº: EM/2551256003/08
BATCH Nº: KD/000750013/ESP

RE:AWARD NOTFICATION.
This is to inform you of the release of the EL GORDO DE NAVIDAD SPANISH
SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY/INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAMS. Held on the 25TH OF JULY, 2008.Your email address Attached to ticket number 025-11-464-992-750 with serial number 2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 13-15-16-21-34-36 which
consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of €850,000.00 (Eight Hundred And Fifty Thousand Eruos Only) in cash credited to file with REF.Nº. EM/2551256003/08 AND BATCH Nº KD/000750013/ESP. This is from a total
cash prize of €14,450,000 Shared among 17 (Seventeen) International winners in
this category. CONGRATULATIONS!!!. Your fund is now deposited with a security company and insured in your email address. Due to mix up of some numbers and email address, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account as this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of an advantage of this program by participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 email addresss all over the world as part of our
International promotions program which we conduct once every year.
We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the next year
high stake €1.3 BILLION international lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent, MR, NINO BROWN. The
Foreign Service Manager of DIRECT SECURITY NETWORK on Tel: +34 625 539 793, Fax: +34 911 011 826. E-mail: directsecuritnetwork@gmail.com .For the processing and remittance of your winning prize money to a designation of your choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than, 26TH OF SEPT, 2008. After this date all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. And also be informed that 5% of your lottery winning will be paid to DIRECT SECURITY NETWORK. After you have received your money.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence
with us or your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your
address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible. You are advised
to keep this winning very confidential until you receive your prize in
your account or optional cheque issuance to you. This is a protective
measure to avoid double claiming by people you may tell, as we have had
cases like this before,please send your full information for processing of
your winning fund.

(PLEASE FILL THIS FORM BELOW AND SEND IT BACK TO D.S.N).
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO BE PAID BY BANK TRANSFER OR CHEQUE.
1) Your Full Name........................................
2) Your Age..................................................
3) Marital Status............................................
4) Your Cell Phone nº....................................
5) Your Telphone nº........................................
6) Your Country..............................................
7) Your Occupation.........................................
8) Address...........zip........................................
9) Sex.............City.................State..................
10)Your Ref/Batch nº......................................
11)Email......................................................

Yours Sincerely,
MRS, VERA ANTONY .
VICE PRESIDENT

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam