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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • johnson_abbasi@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DR.JOHNSON ABBASI" <johnson.abbasi@virgilio.it> (may be fake)
Reply-To: johnsonabbasi01@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006 07:54:17 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY!

DR.JOHNSON ABBASI.
PLOT 202 MISSSY AVE.
LAGOS - NIGERIA
Email:johnson_abbasi@yahoo.com.hk

ATTENTION: CHAIRMAN/CEO,

REQUEST FOR URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP IN RESPECT OF THE TRANSFER OF US$40,000,000.00 (FORTYMILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY)
I, on behalf of my other colleagues from different Federal Government of Nigeria parastatals decided to solicit your assistance as regards the transfer of the above stated amount into your bank account. This fund arose from the over-invoicing of various contracts awarded in my parastatal to certain foreign contractors sometime ago.
We as holders of official positions in our various parastatals were mandated by this new civilian government to scrutinize all payments made to certain foreign contractors by the government, and we discovered that some of the contracts they executed were grossly over-invoiced, either by omission or commission.
We all agreed that the over-invoiced amount be transferred (for our own use) into a bank account provided by a foreign partner, as the code of conduct of the Federal civil service does not allow us to operate foreign accounts.
However, we have succeeded in transferring some of these fund, precisely US$5M (five million American Dollars only) into a foreign account in GENEVA (SWITZERLAND) last week, but unfortunately the provider of the account has severed all forms of contacts with us as he has refused to adhere to our earlier mutual agreement insisting that the total amount be paid into his nominated bank account before disbursement will take effect. If for US$5.Million (Five million only) we are not compensated, how can one guarantee full compensation on remittance of the balance of US$35 million (THIRTY FIVE million American dollars only).
We are therefore seeking your assistance based on the balance amount of US$35 Million which can be speedily processed and fully remitted into your nominated bank account. On successful remittance of the fund into your account, you will be compensated with 25% of the amount for
assistance and services and 5% set aside for expenses contingency while 70% is for me and my colleagues.
This transaction is closely knitted and in view of our SENSITIVE POSITION we cannot afford a slip, I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free. We will avail you with our identities as regards our respective offices when relationship is fully established and smooth operation commences. I am ready to entertain any question(s) from you in respect of this transaction, so, contact me immediately through my e-mail or telephone stated above for further information on the requirements and procedure. Please, note that this DEAL needs utmost confidentiality.
Yours faithfully,
DR.JOHNSON ABBASI.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam