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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • infoclaimsunit@mail2uk.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:54:14 -0500
Subject: Claim Your Winnings {Draws Number: (#978)}

Dear Lucky Winner,

RE: BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION 2008:

The result of our computer draw (#978) selected your name and email address attached to e-ticket number: 56475600545188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 4-8-17-18-20-23 (27 bonus ball), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 5 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £ 600,000.00( Six Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03,Ref: UK/9420X2/68 and Batch:074/05/ZY369.This is from a total cash prize of £ 3,600,000.00 Please endeavor to quote your Ref/Batch (Ref: UK/9420X2/68Batch:074/05/ZY369) in all correspondence.

Contact Our Oversea claims Unit to file your claims with the details below.

Contact Person: Mr. Well Paulson
Email: infoclaimsunit@mail2Uk.com

All information is strictly confidential and will only be used for the purpose to which it is been requested.

Regards.
Dr. Mrs. Walter Norris
Online Co-ordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam