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:

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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "bank charges " (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "trunk box" (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!

Fraud email example:

From: " Agent Wreele Douglas" <nus00@nun8.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <info@jfk.cargounit.at.vu>
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2015 13:12:40 +0100
Subject: ABOUT YOUR UNCLAIMED LOTTERY FUND FROM NATIONAL LOTTERY (AGENT WREELE
DOUGLAS)

My Name is Wreele Douglas. An FBI Agent. I am a contract staff currently at=
tached to the verification department of the Camelot Group of the Online Na=
tional Lottery mainly for non UK citizens. Your winning check of $4,306,515=
(Four Million, three hundred and six thousand, five hundred and fifteen Un=
ited States Dollars only) was about to expire due to your inability to trav=
el to our office in London as the Lottery rules and regulations demanded. H=
owever, I managed to convert the check to cash in a Golden Metal Trunk Box =
because it was the only way to circumvent you from losing your life time op=
portunity.
=

To avoid multiple taxation's and the bank charges as overdue and unclaimed =
lottery fund, I have successfully dispatched your golden metal box with Reg=
# UK8100AF through cargo and the golden metal box has arrived JFK Internati=
onal airport cargo unit, and has passed through custom checks.
=

The golden metal box is now at the airport storage facility at the cost of =
$25 dollars daily. Please kindly make sure you contact Mr. Nokia Lopez on (=
212) 851-3196 and email (info@jfk.cargounit.at.vu). I have done everything =
to make sure you receive your winning, Please call the number to below for =
QUICK process.
=

Cargo Unit
John F Kennedy International Airport
Access Road New York,
NY 10010-3672,
United States
Email: (info@jfk.cargounit.at.vu)
Tel: (212) 851-3196
=

Contact person Mr. Nokia Lopez
=

=

The lottery details:
Winning no: .......................
Serial no: .......................
Ticket no: .......................
Amount won: .......................
=

Please reconfirm these information's to Mr. Nokia Lopez
1. Your Full Name: .......................
2. Your current address: .................
3. Your phone number: ....................
4. Nearest airport to your location: .....
5. Your Occupation: ......................
=

=

Note: Do not disclose the content of the Golden Mental Box to Mr. Nokia Lop=
ez or to anyone for security reasons.
=

Best regards,
=

WREELE DOUGLAS
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY,
CAMELOT GROUP,
VERIFICATION AND PROCESSING DEPARTMENT,
UNITED KINGDOM.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam