419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
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:
- "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.
- agentwilliamscrk@yahoo.com.au (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- clarke at the australia embassy in nigeria via :(agentwilliamscrk@yahoo.com.au or dr.williamscrk2010@yahoo.com.au) date:28/09/2010 (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Australian Lottery Inc." <bekkiv@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: "Australian Lottery Inc." <agentwilliamscrk@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:41:08 +0400 (GMT+04:00)
Subject: Congratulations!!! You hereby have been approved a prize of
US$500,000.00

AWARD NOTIFICATION: FINAL NOTICE

We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on the 25th of
August 2010 from the Australian International Lottery Programme with
the following information:

HOW TO CLAIM YOUR CASH PRIZE:SIMPLE CONTACT DR.WILLIAMS CLARKE AT THE AUSTRALIA EMBASSY IN NIGERIA VIA :(agentwilliamscrk@yahoo.com.au or dr.williamscrk2010@yahoo.com.au)

Date:28/09/2010
Ref: 575061725
Batch: 8056490902/188
Winning no: KB8701/LP RC.
AUSTRALIA.www.australianlottogame.gr.st

You hereby have been approved a prize of US$500,000.00 (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) in cash credit file ref: ILP/HW 47509/02 from the total cash prize shared amongst eight lucky winners in this category.

This Lottery programme was based on Email balotting, through an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses with the use of Email search Engine. Your Email address was attached to ticket number; 5750617258056490902 serial number 6741137002. This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows: 11-13-26-34-44-48 bonus number 17,which consequently won the lottery in the second category.

This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies in Australia as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities where they have operational base.

HOW TO CLAIM YOUR CASH PRIZE:
SIMPLY CONTACT DR.WILLIAMS CLARKE VIA:(agentwilliamscrk@yahoo.com.au or dr.williamscrk2010@yahoo.com.au)

Fill the following information and sent to the email address above

1.Full names of beneficiary:
2.Residential address:
3.Date and place of birth:
4.phone/fax numbers:
5.Name and address of next of kin:
6.sex:
7.Occupation:
8.Marital status:
9.Amount won:
10.Winning email:
11.Nationality:

Note,all winnings MUST be claimed by the 30th of November,2010.otherwise all funds will be returned as Unclaimed and eventually donated to charity.

Best Regards.
ENGR.FERDINAND CHARLES,
(CO-ORDINATOR)

SIR RICHARD MORGAN,
DIRECTOR.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam