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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "huge sum of money" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS ANNA STEVENS" <anastevens7@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: annastevens7@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 20:55:24 +0000
Subject: greetings from anna

Dear Sir/Madam,
Please do not be surprise to receive this mail.
My name is MRS ANNA STEVENS I am Regional Director of GLOBAL SECURITY/FIANANCE COMPANY in the Gambia, West Africa.
I write to share this confidential business transaction with you since my husband is late i have taken over as the regional director of this company .
We had a foreign client who deposited a huge sum of money (US$28.5million) with our Company. Eventually, this client was among the victims of EGYPT AIR BOEING
767 FLIGHT NO.990 that crashed on the 31-10-1999 in U.S.A. and since incidence, no body has come for the claim of this fund as the next of kin.
A situation I have monitored closely with my position as the regional director of this Company for many years. Now, having monitored this deposit and managed it over the years before his death, and hence nobody has showed up as the next of kin for the past years, I have removed the file to my private volt.
I hereby write to solicit for your great assistance to present you as the next of kin as every other
arrangement has being concluded by me and I am only waiting for a foreigner (as foreigner partners) to enable me move the fund to his account.
This does not have any risk attached to it as all the internal documentations will be handled by me. I therefore request you to confirm your interest by a return message and I will furnish you with details. As you may wish.
Your interest will be negotiable before we commence on these operation. And your immediate response to this mail will be highly appreciated.
Looking Forward On Hearing From You Soon
Best Regards,
MRS ANNA STEVENS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam