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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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found 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.
  • yawmaafoo@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Yaw Osafo-Maafo <yaww@sunumail.sn>
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 18:43:30 +0200
Subject: Urgent Bussiness Relationship!!!!


Dear Friend,
How is your family? hope all of you are fine, if so splendid. Yaw
Osafo-Maafo is my name and former Ghanaian minister of finance.
Although I was sacked by President John Kufuor on 28 April 2006 for
the fact I signed £29 million book publication contract with
Macmillan Education without reference to the Public Procurement Board
and without Parliamentary approval. You can read more on this web page

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=103713
Right now, I was being probed because of it. As matter of fact, £12
million part of the money was lodged into my private account in Spain
. Already I have notified my lawyer in Spain about it and he will see
the money is transferred to your account for investment. I would like
you to give this a highly confidential approach. Any question you
wish to ask concerning this deal, do not delay to ask. Presently, I
do not need any telephone discussion for safety. The moment I hear
from you, my lawyer will contact you,. If you are interested in this
proposal sent me mail to my privert email . yawmaafoo@yahoo.com
I wait your response.
My regards,
Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam