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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.

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")
  • "million dollars" (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.
  • +2348036724395 (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.
  • tony.waps20@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: sportsfreakty1@aim.com
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:28:16 -0400
Subject: CONGRATULATION YOU WON $1MILLION

CONGRATULATION YOU WON $1MILLION


You were selected among the lucky recipients to
receive the award sum
of $1 million (ONE MILLION DOLLARS) as charity
donations/aid from the
Shell Foundation Nigeria in accordance with the
enabling act of
Parliament.

To file for your claim, Please contact our Claims
Agent through the
following information below by filling and returning
the form below to
him.

Contact Person: Mr.Tony Waps
Phone: +2348036724395
Email: tony.waps20@yahoo.co.uk

Quote your cash credit file number ILP/HW 46704/08,
and also your phone

number for easy communication.

FILL AND RETURN THE FORM BELOW TO YOUR CLAIMS AGENT.

FULL NAME............................
DATE OF BIRTH.......................
ADDRESS.............................
SEX.........................AGE.....
NATIONALITY.........................
OCCUPATION..........................
TELEPHONE...........................
EMAIL................... ..... .
.......DATE................................
YOUR BANK NAME......................
YOUR BANK ADDRESS ..................
YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER............

On behalf of the entire Board, I say Congratulations!!

Best Regards,
Mr. George Sawyer Moss
Grants Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam