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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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348057834446 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "kenstephen" <kenstephen2000@excite.com>
Reply-To: kenstephen2000@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 02:52:28 -0500 (EST)
Subject: GOOD DAY,












GOOD DAY, I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.I AM MR. KEN A. STEPHEN, I WORK IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT BEFORE I GET STROKE DURING THE NIGERIA BOMB BLAST WHICH CAME UP TWO YEARS AGO,ALSO IT WAS DURING THIS BOMB BLAST I LOST MY DARLING WIFE WITH TWO CHILDREN REMAIN ONE SON IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS SON I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS FUNDS. BECAUSE OF THIS, I WAS RESIGN BY THE BANK FOR A TREATMENT WHICH I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY.DURING MY SERVICE IN OFFICE I WAS ABLE TO MANAGE THIS FUNDS THROUGH DIPLOAMTIC. I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE CENTRAL BANK WHO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU, I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR A PACKAGE WHICH I SHIPPED THROUGH THE UNITED NATIONS DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT ATTACHED TO CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, AND HE WAS BEEN DEPOSITED IN LONDON NAME (WITHHELD) UNTIL I HEAR FROM YOU, THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS US$18.5M(EIGHTEEN
MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) ALL IN $100 BILLS, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE. ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS GIVE ME- YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX, HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY , YOU WILL HAVE 45%,THEN 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES OCCURRED DURING THE BUSINESS AND 45% WOULD BE FOR ME ,MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANY BODY, IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU , YOU CAN E_MAIL ME OR CALL MY PRIVATE TELE: 234-8057834446 OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS TO THE BOXES TO YOU. YOURS FAITHFULY,MR. KEN A. STEPHEN

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam