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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:
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• 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:
  • "huge amount of money" (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 orphan 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.
  • james4uu@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "JAMES KONAN" <james4s2@walla.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: james4s5@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:54:53 +0100
Subject: RE: GREETINGS FROM JAMES.

GREETINGS,

DEAR I THANK GOD IN THE FIRST PLACE FOR GRANTING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEND THIS MAIL TO YOU. AND I KNOW MY LETTER WILL COME TO YOU AS A VERY BIG SURPRISE, PLEASE BEAR IT WITH ME AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY I HAVE IN MY PRESENT SITUATION. I GOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS THROUGH THE INTERNET, WHEN I WAS SEARCHING FOR A RELIABLE GOD FEARING PERSON, WHO WILL NOT BETRAY ME IN THE COLLECTION OF FUNDS BELONG TO ME.

MY NAME IS JAMES KONAN, FROM COTE D'LVOIRE, NOW IN SENEGAL WITH MY YOUNGER SISTER BECAUSE OF CRISES IN MY COUNTRY. MY LATE FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT, BEFORE HE WAS ASSASSINATED BY THE REBEL DURING THE CRISES IN MY COUNTRY, AND HE DEPOSITED A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY (US$12.5 MILLION DOLLARS) IN A FINANCE HOUSE FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT BEFORE ASSASSINATED. AND NOW I WANT TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY. THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO CONTACT THE FINANCE HOUSE ON MY BEHALF SO THAT THE WILL TRANSFER THIS FUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR INVESTMENT.

(1)YOU WILL MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME AND MY YOUNGER SISTER TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AND CONTINUE OUR EDUCATION.
(2) I WILL GIVE YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL MONEY FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, THEN AFTER. I WILL SET ASIDE 5% FOR ANY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED DURING THE CLOSING OF THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSACTION. THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU.

BEST REGARDS,
JAMES KONAN
james4uu@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam