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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Publishers Clearing House (PCH)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jerrywilson01@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2015 12:13:21 -0600
Subject: Your ATM VisaCard

ATTN:

Note that your validation payment of $25,000,000.00USD is ready, your payment will be sent to you via ATM VisaCard.

Advice your receiving address and a valid mobile phone number/home line for merit reach.

You will be contacted with further details as soon as your information are correctly provided, contact Sir. Jerry Wilson via (Jerrywilson01@hotmail.com)

Thank you,
Monica Anaston
Publishers Clearing House (PCH)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is a direct marketing company that markets merchandise and magazine subscriptions with sweepstakes, prize-based game, search, and lottery websites.

Publishers Clearing House was founded in 1953 by Harold Mertz to replace door-to-door magazine subscription sales by a single vendor offering multiple subscriptions by mail. It introduced its sweepstakes in 1967. In the early 1990s the company was the subject of concerns and legal actions regarding whether consumers were misled about their odds of winning the sweepstakes and whether purchases increased their chances. By 2010 the company had reached settlements with all 50 states.

The company acquired search company Blingo in 2006,[6] online gaming company Funtank in 2010, and mobile marketing company Liquid Wireless in 2012.

Anti-fraud resources: