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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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• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "mahamadi kabore" <madikab@latinmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 10:33:06 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: WAITING


DEAR FRIEND,

I AM MR.MAHAMADI KABORE, I WORK IN THE AUDIT/REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF BANK OF AFRICA(BOA) OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO. I HAVE A BUSINESS PROPOSAL WHICH WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US.THE TOTAL SUM INVOLVED IS ($18.MILLION US DOLLARS) WHICH I WANT TO TRANSFER FROM THE BANK I WORK WITH TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY.

THIS FUND IS OWNED BY A DECEASED PERSON,A BUSINESS COMMERCIALIST IN WEST-AFRICAN REGIONS. HE HAS BEEN DEAD FOR YEARS AGO AND SINCE THEN NO CLAIM HAS BEEN PLACED ON HIS BANK ACCOUNT BALANCE. I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT SUCH FUND CAN NOT BE TRANSFERRED WITHOUT A NEXT OF KIN STANDING TO THE FUND.

THE FUND COULD BE TRANSFERRED IN THESE WAY,YOU SHALL PRESENT YOURSELF THROUGH WRITING AN APPLICATION LETTER TO THE BANK CLAIMING TO BE HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES/ NEXT OF KIN,AS DETAILS SHALL BE THAT YOU ARE THE NEXT OF KIN/BUSINESS ASSOCIATES TO THE DECEASED PERSON AND HIS PROPERTIES

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam