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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.

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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum 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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin 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.
  • drcharlesokoye@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: office.mail3@freenet.de
Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:31:03 +0100
Subject: Seeking Your Plight!


From The Desk Of: Dr. Charles Okoye,
Auditing and Accounting
Unit
Foreign Operations Department,
United Bank For Africa.
Bank
Plc,Victoria Island,
Lagos-Nigeria.
Phone:+2341-471-8246.
Email:
drcharlesokoye@gmail.com
Hi Dear,
I am Dr. Charles Okoye one of the
Directors in charge of Auditing and Accounting section of United Bank
For Africa Bank Plc,and also the Chairman of the Investigating and
Auditing Department of the Bank.
With due respect and regards, I have
decided to contact you on a very profitable Business Transaction that
will be very beneficial to both of us and our families in future. During
our Investigation and Auditing in the Bank, my department came across a
very huge sum of money belonging to one of our Deceased client Mr.Morris
Thompson 61years,of Fairbanks,Alaska America who died on January 31st
2000
with Alaska Airlines Flight 261. He was a very important business
man and operates/owns alot of business conclumarates both in America and
all around the world including Nigeria.
You can as well confirm it by
yourself through the underlisted Website of incident.:-
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/
we are still in
service and intend to retire from service after we conclude this deal
with you. And I assure you that this transaction will only last for not
more than 10 working days and you be confirming the money in your
account.
I will be monitoring the whole situation here in my bank until
you confirm the money in your account. And ask us to come down to your
country for subsequent sharing of the fund according to percentages
previously indicated and further investment,either in your country or
any
country you advice us to invest in.
All other necessary vital
information will be sent to you when I hear from you, I suggest you to
get back to me as soon as humanly possible stating or indicating your
wish in this deal. I am expecting Your urgent reply as soon as you
receive this message.
God bless you And your family.
Nd: Please direct
your reply to my alternate email:
drcharlesokoye@gmail.com For direct &
immediate attention.
Respectfully Yours,
Dr. Charles Okoye
Direct
Line:+23414718246.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam