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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Butto Franklyn" <butto1@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: buttofranklyn@yahoo.fr
Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 12:44:00 +0200
Subject: From Franklyn Butto


From Franklyn Butto
Dearest one,
Greetings in the name of God. I am Franklyn Butto from Sierra Leone. I am
writing you from Rep of Cote d'Ivoire where I Have been taking refuge after
the brutal war and Murder of my parents and my younger sister by the rebels
during the renewed Fighting in our country Sierra Leone. Because of the war
my late Father sold his shipping company and took me to a nearby country
Cote d'Ivoire where he deposited US$10M (Ten Million United States Dollars)
in his foreign account with one of the bank here in Cote d'Ivoire. Please, I
have prayed before contacting you with the trust in God that you will be of
help to me. I am seeking for your assistance to transfer this money to your
account for a good investment project in your country and also relocate to
your country to further my studies. I am willing to offer you 20% of the
total sum for Your assistance. Please for your good information this
transaction Is 100% risk free and in no way connected with any illegal
transaction, Please help me to get out of this terrible situation and my
Almighty God will bless you. please kindly get back to me for more
discussion.
Best Regards
Franklyn Butto

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam