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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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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million pounds" (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)
  • "god-fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
  • e_philips1955@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: e_philips1955@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:54:51 -1200
Subject: Dear Beloved

Dear Beloved,

It is by the grace of God that I write you, having known the truth; I had no choice than to do what is lawful and just
in the sight of God for eternal life and in the sight of man for witness of God & His Mercies and glory upon my life. I
am Mrs. Elizaberth Philips, the wife of Mr. Bryan Philipsn both citizens of the United Kingdom. My husband worked with
the Chevron/Texaco in Russia for twenty years before he died in the year 2003.
My husband until his death was a very hard working man with so much love for people in need. When my late husband was
alive he deposited the sum of 12.5 Million Pounds (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds) in a Financial House i n
Europe (United Kingdom to be precise). The management just wrote me as the beneficiary that the account is DORMANT and
if I,the beneficiary of the funds, do not re-activate the account; the funds will be CONFISCATED or I rather issue a
letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf,because of my ill health.

Presently, I'm in a hospital in UK, where I have been undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. I want someone, who is
God-fearing to use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows, I await your quick response to this mail as this
is my last wish to see this funds transferred before my death. Please my beloved for further communication on how we are
going to conclude this, reach me on my private mail:
e_philips1955@hotmail.com

May God Bless you,
Mrs. Elizaberth Philips

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam