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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.
• 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)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "foreign remittance manager" (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)
  • "million 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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • ahmed_hassan09@mixmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ahmed hassan" <ahmed_hassan09@mixmail.com>
Date: Sun, 18 May 2008 14:03:31 +0200
Subject: PLZ IT'S URGENT


* * *FROM THE DESK OF MR AHMED HASSAN
FOREIGN REMITTANCE MANAGER.
BANK OF AFRICA(B.O.A)
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO.*
*
DEAR FRIEND,*
*
I KNOW THAT THIS MAIL WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE NEVER MET
BEFORE.
**I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF
($22.5MILLION DOLLARS
UNITED STATES).AFTER HEARING FROM YOU I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE
TRANSACTION. THIS IS MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADRESS (ahmed_hassan09@mixmail.com OR
YOU CAN STILL CALL ME VIA MY PRIVATE MOBILE NO 00226 78 84 21 34 ** ***
**
*MY REGARD TO YOUR FAMILY*
*MR AHMED HASSAN*
**
*N.B*
*I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL REQUIRED AND HOW COME ABOUT THIS FUND IF YOU
ARE INTERESTED AND HOPING YOU CAN BE TRUSTED*
*I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVE YOUR REPLY.
THANKS AND HAVE A NICE DAY.
1. NAME IN FULL:................................
2. ADDRESS:.......................................
3. NATIONALITY:.................................
4. AGE:...............................................
5. SEX.................................................
6. OCCUPATION:.................................
7. MARITAL STATUS:.........................
8. PHONE............................................
9. FAX:...............................................*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam