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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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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: TIMMY HANNS <timmyhannss@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:20:46 -0800 (PST)
Subject: REPLY


Dear Friend,

This letter is informed by my intention to settle and invest in a profitable business venture abroad. I am compelled to contact you after going through your advert. I believe you will assist me invest the understated sum in a good business line. After the money has been invested, you will assist to get my family resettled abroad.

I am a Sierra Leonean and currently living in Benin Republic as a result of the war ravaging my country. I was a personal assistant to a top government official who was killed by the rebel forces. Before my boss was killed, he had in his possession, the sum of US$21,000,000.00 in cash meant for the purchase of ammunitions for the war. Fortunately, the rebels did not see this money. However, the general impression was that they took the money away. I was the only one who knew where the money was. Fearing that I might be killed as well, I decided to run away with my family carrying with me the money. I took the money away because I did not want the money used to acquire more arms rather it is better used in an investment that will be beneficial mankind.

The box containing the money is currently secured with a security firm who moved it to Europe. This is my reason for contacting you so that you can work this out with me, receiving, securing and invest the money. There is no risk involved because no one else knows that the money is with me. Even the security firm where I deposited the box does not know the actual content as I declared it as a family treasure and photographic materials.

I shall give you 10% of the money when it is moved, and invested. This is negotiable. If you are genuinely willing to assist me in this, kindly respond urgently so that I can give you more details.

Best regards,

Timmy Hanns


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam