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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Samuel Soweto" <samweto1@msn.com>
Reply-To: drsam_chambers@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 18:31:06 +0000
Subject: FROM DR. SAMUEL SOWETO

FROM DR. SAMUEL SOWETO
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT,
CEMIC BANK OF AFRICA,
COTONOU-BENIN REPBLIC.


ATTN: PLEASE,


MY NAME IS DR. SAMUEL SOWETO , A BANKER BY PROFESSION AND CURRENTLY A
DIRECTOR WITH CEMIC BANK OF AFRICA COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC BRANCH.

I GOT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IN MY SEARCH FOR A REPUTABLE AND RELIABLE PERSON
TO HELP ME CLAIM THE SUM OF UD$15 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS DEPOSITED IN
OUR BANK BY ONE OF OUR CUSTOMER WHO DIED WITH THE WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN ON
THE 21ST DAY OFAPRIL 2000 IN A CAR CRASH ALONG NOVESSEL ROAD.

SINCE HIS DEATH NO ONE HAS COME UP AS HIS NEXT OF KIN AND ALL OUR EFFORTS TO
LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY HAS PROVE ABORTIVE THAT WAS WHY I
DECIDED TO SEE IF I CAN GET ANYBODY WHO HAS THE SAME SURNAME OR LAST NAME
WITH HIM VIA INTERNET PREFERABLY, SOME ONE OF THE SAME NATIONALITY WITH HIM
WHICH I BELIEVE YOU HAVE ALL THE QUALITIES WE NEED.

WHY I AM CONTACTING YOU IS TO PRESENT YOU TO OUR BANK AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO
OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER HE WAS A DRILLING CONTRACTOR WITH SOME OIL COMPANIES
HERE IN WEST AFRICA, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SAME SURNAME/LAST NAME WITH HIM
AND HE IS FROM THE SAME COUNTRY WITH YOU.SO IT WILL BE MORE ACCEPTABLE AND
WISER TO PRESENT YOU THROUGH PAPER WORK TO THE BANK FOR THE CLAIM OF THE
TOTAL FUND.

I WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS THAT THE BANK MAY REQUEST
FROM YOU AND FOLLOW UP THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR A/C AS AN
INSIDER.IT WILL INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT I AND MY PARTNERS HAS BEEN KEEPING
OUR EYES ON THIS FUNDS AND HAS PUT THE ACCOUNT BLIND AND COVERED TO THE
PUBLIC BY KEEPING THE ACCOUNT DORMANT TO ENABLE OUR PLANS FOR THE FUNDS TO
COME THROUGH AND THIS IS THE TIME AND WE ARE HAPPY TO LOCATE YOU FOR THE
PERFECTION OF THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK A/C TO BE
GIVEN.

AS SOON AS I GET YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE I WILL UPDATE YOU ABOUT THE MODE OF
DISBURSEMENT AND WE WILL ALSO NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INVESTING IN YOUR COUNTRY
AS A WAY TO OF HELPING YOU PEOPLE WHO SUPPOSE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF
THIS FUNDS.

LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR URGENT RESPONSE BY UPDATING ME WITH YOUR DIRECT
TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.

YOURS SINCERELY,

DR SAMUEL SOWETO.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam