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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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• 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:
  • "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.
• 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.
  • email.timothywillis007@aim.com

Fraud email example:

From: person info <person@persono.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 15:39:53 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: URGENT INFORMATIONS:


URGENT INFORMATIONS:
My name is Mr.Timothy Willis. What i have may be of interest to
You. It is a business proposal that will be beneficial to you and I. I live in
Amsterdam Netherlands I have been working in a Finance Company in Amsterdam Netherlands for the past 17 years where i am presently an Operational Manager. I will give you my Full details on your reply to this letter.

My aim of contacting you is to solicit your co-operation and assistance based on one of the Deposit under my management containing $25 Million US Dollars (Twenty Five Million Dollars) which has remained in our security vault for the last Thirteen years. This Deposit was made by the late Mrs. Jovita Jasmine Carerra and following my investigation, i found out that she died on may 1992 via a car crash in the Bahamas and she left no children or next of kin.:

I have all the authentic documents that can qualify you as the Next of Kin to her and Our Finance Company will release this deposit to you. I will inform you more on how we can get the funds released to you as a beneficiary if you agree to co-operate with me on your reply to this email. I will also give you more personal details of me and the transaction on your reply and the sharing percentage will be discussed also.

Please treat this as confidential, urgent and of utmost importance.
Please respond only via my email.TimothyWillis007@aim.com

Timothy Willis.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam