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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:
  • "search for a reliable person" (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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: MAURICE IWU <mauriceiwu@indiatimes.com>
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2007 07:04:36 +0100
Subject: PERSONAL


Spam detection software, running on the system "virtual-spamblock-be-01.sunrise.ch", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or block
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: Dear Partner, I guess this letter may come to you as
surprise since I had no previous correspondence with you. I am the
chairman of the independent national electoral commission (INEC). I got
your contact in my search for a reliable person handle a very
confidential transaction involving the transfer of the sum of
$14.500.000 Dollars (Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars) the above fund is not connected with arms, drugs or
money laundering. It is the product of an over invoiced contract
awarded in 2003 by (INEC) to a foreign company for the supply of
electoral materials that were used for conducting the 2003 elections.
[...]

Content analysis details: (6.2 points, 5.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
0.4 MILLION_USD BODY: Talks about millions of dollars
0.7 US_DOLLARS_3 BODY: Mentions millions of $ ($NN,NNN,NNN.NN)
3.0 NIGERIAN_BODY1 Message body looks like a Nigerian spam message 1+
0.7 NIGERIAN_BODY2 Message body looks like a Nigerian spam message 2+
0.7 NIGERIAN_BODY3 Message body looks like a Nigerian spam message 3+
0.7 NIGERIAN_BODY4 Message body looks like a Nigerian spam message 4+

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam