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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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• 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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "international lottery programme" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "affidavit of claim" (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. )
  • "necessary legal documents" (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")
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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.
  • directorjames_gd@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Smile Today <smiletoday65@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:07:38 -0800 (PST)
Subject: NEED ADVICE AND HELP


=A0I RECIVE an email but i want be sure from these information's=20
We are delighted to inform you of your prize release
on the 5th January,2009 from the Australian
International Lottery programmed. Which is fully based
on electronic selection of winners using their e-mail
addresses from some site. Your email address was
attached to ticket number; Congratulations once again on your winnings!!!
Simply contact your claims agent DIRECTOR, DR.JAMES
GODFREY AT directorjames_gd@yahoo.com by
filling this form below and send it to him to file for
your claim.=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=20
finally that send to me these email:-
The authoritative management of United Bank for Africa is in receipt of you=
r e-mail. Sequel to the questions in your e-mail, we wish to inform you tha=
t you have five working days to be present here in Nigeria to sign the fund=
release order {FRO}and as well provide the Affidavit of claims. This is be=
cause we will soon conclude all foreign payments of the lotto company to en=
able us conclude our upcoming end of the year annual financial report.
Basically, the United Bank for Africa requires all foreign lotto winners to=
be present here in Nigeria to provide all the necessary legal documents as=
this will prove to them that the bank does not indulge in any scam activit=
y. Over the years, we do not make payments through the internet; this is du=
e to the fact that many internet scammers are emulating the lotto companies=
.. However, because of the inability of winners to be present in their vario=
us payment locations we have been using this internet measure. But we are a=
ssuring you that as soon as our account department confirms the receipt of =
this Affidavit fee, we shall process and transfer your prize money to your =
nominated bank account in Twenty Four {24}banking hours as stipulated by th=
e authoritative management of the bank. Therefore if you cannot be present =
in Nigeria within the stipulated time, you are required to forward the Affi=
davit fee to our account department through our senior account
officer with the information given to you in our previous e-mail.=A0=20
and i want be sure that not scam baiter process=20
=A0
and how can i contact directly by manger of United Bank for Africa=20
=A0
thanks for your help and advice wait your reply

=A0=20

=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam