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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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 next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +447011133420 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • colin_mathew@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: Colin Mathew <colin_mathew24@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: c_mathew4@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:09:50 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM MR COLIN MATHEW


FROM THE DESK OF MR COLIN MATHEW
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
BANK OF SCOTLAND
UNITED KINGDOM
TEL: +447011133420
FAX: +448704783512
CONTACT colin_mathew@myway.com

GOOD DAY.

DEAR FRIEND, YOUR FIRST REACTION TO THIS MAIL WILL BE
TOTAL REJECTION, SCARE AND MAYBE DISBELIEF, OWNING
LARGELY TO THE ATROCITIES SOME PEOPLE COMMIT THESE
DAYS ON THE INTERNET, BUT BELIEVE ME WHAT I’M ABOUT
TO LET YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW IS TRUE AND EXISTING ISSUE.

I AM MR. COLIN MATHEW THE AUDITOR GENERAL OF HALIFAX
BANK OF SCOTLAND UNITED KINGDOM; I WISH TO KNOW IF WE
CAN WORK TOGETHER. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO STAND AS THE
BENEFICIARY TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER MR. MORRIS
THOMPSON, WHO MADE SOME DEPOSITS OF (15,000,000.00)
POUNDS STARLINGS. (FIFTEEN MILLION POUNDS STARLINGS)
WITH MY BANK.

YOU CAN VISIT THIS WEB SITE TO CONFIRM MY
INFORMATION'S TO YOU AT ALASKA AIRLINE FLIGHT 261.
HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2000/US/02/01/ALASKA.AIRLINES.LIST/
HE DIED WITHOUT ANY REGISTERED NEXT OF KIN AND AS
SUCH THE FUNDS NOW HAVE AN OPEN BENEFICIARY MANDATE.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED YOU DO LET ME KNOW SO THAT I
CAN GIVE YOU COMPREHENSIVE DETAILS ON WHAT WE ARE TO
DO FOR THE FUNDS TO BE WIRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT,

BEFORE MY MEETING WITH YOU FOR THE DISBURSEMENT OF
THE FUND IN THE RATIO OF 60% FOR ME AND 40% FOR YOU,
YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS WILL BE
NECESSARY FOR THIS EFFECT, I URGENT HOPE TO GET YOUR
RESPONSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS TO ENABLE US EXPEDITE
ACTION.

AWAITING YOUR URGENT
YOURS SINCERELY.
MR. COLIN MATHEW



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam