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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
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: <ggoboh@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 05:53:22 -0400
Subject: PROPOSITION

Dear Sir/Madam
I am Greg Oboh branch Manager of a Bank in Lagos Nigeria.Iam contacting you to assist in the claim of some outstanding sum of money which was left by one of
my very good clients who died in a AF4590 plane crash on his way to america after he left nigeria to germany for business.
This client Christian Eich was an engineer with one of the foremost construction firms here in Nigeria. He left no known next of kin and all our attempts to trace someone related to him to whom we could pay the money proved abbortive.I have now personally decided to contact you to stand on behalf of the family so I can present you as his next of kin using my influence as a Manager of this bank.
The amount involved is USD11 million (Eleven million United States Dollars) which is the account balance.You can view the website for more details on the death of the man
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
I contacted you because it is against our code of ethics to own and operate a foreign accounts and your assistance would be needed to claim the money .I have agreed that 30% of the entire sum would be for you if you agree to take part in this profitable transaction,65% for me while the remaining 5% would be used to pay back the expenses that may be incurred during the course of the transaction by both parties after the fund has been
claimed as the next of kin.
YHou should send me the following information:
1. Your full names
2. Your mailing address
3. Your private telephone and fax number
Upon the receipt of the above information I shall send you more details.

I look forward to hearing from you asap
Yours faithfully
Greg Oboh.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam