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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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.
• 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.
  • +27833352769 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • smithbwills@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: gertvisser8@aim.com
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:57:49 +0200
Subject: consider this

Mr. Williams Smith
TEL:+27-83-335-2769
Email: smithbwills@hotmail.com

Good Day,

I am Williams Smith, working in department of fund released order in First National Bank of South Africa. This letter might come to you as
surprise, but take it to be a matter of fate. Mr. ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ, from SPAIN executed a contract through
Department of Transport here in South Africa. The contract is worth of USD9,000,000 (Nine Million Dollars), but on the process of him claming
the money, he died with his family in Bomb Blast in MADRID, SPAIN.

Meanwhile, his money has been signed to be paid from my office but he could not come up to sign some documentns to receive his money.

Nobody knows what is going on about this fund and the man's information are Contract Sum: USD9, 000,000 (Nine Million Dollars). Contract
number: FMA/FMF/3-X99/2003. You will act as the beneficiary of this money and I will give you more information about the transaction as soon
as you indicate your interest.

Mr. Williams Smith.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam