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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 us 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Eng Alex Johnson" <johnson_67@msn.com>
Reply-To: eng_alexjohnson2@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 13:58:42 +0000
Subject: DEAR FRIEND, I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE.

Dear Friend,

I really regret any embarrassment this mail might cause you, as we've never
by any chance met before I want you to patiently read this offer.

I am Eng Alex Johnson a Delegation member of OPEC in West Africa. I am the
linkman between the Organization For Petroleum Exporting Countries-OPEC and
the petroleum sector in a West African country. I also attend OPEC meetings
constantly in Geneva.

Through the sale of our allocated oil quota in OPEC, I was able to make
$30.5million US Dollars, which is currently deposited in a Security and
Finance company. I want you to assist me to claim this money as I cannot
claim it directly because I am still a civil servant, and the code of
conduct bureau forbids me to acquire such amount of money.

It is on this basis that I am contacting you for assistance, if you will be
interested; claim documents will be processed and sent to you. The documents
with which the fund is deposited will be changed to reflect you as the new
beneficiary so that you will be eligible to collect the fund on my behalf.

I will give you 20% of the fund for this assistance. I am aware of the
international monitoring of all large-scale financial movements after the
September 11th 2001 terrorist attack on America and to avoid any state of
financial investigation I will provide a classified clearance paper from the
relevant body which will exonerate the money from either drug, money
laundered or terrorist related proceeds.

Upon the receipt of your mail, indicating your interest to help me in this
transaction I will then send to you my identity card and international
passport to further buttress the confide nature of this transaction. Kindly
respond to my proposal through this my email on the receipt of your mail.

I want to assure you that there is no risk attached in this transaction you
should also provide me with your private telephone and fax numbers for
easier communication.

Expecting your response.

Best regards,
Eng Alex Johnson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam