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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.

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)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "trunk box" (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 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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.
  • jamesmini@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "james mini41" <jamesmini41@klikni.cz>
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 11:57:24 +0200
Subject: FROM : MR.JAMES MINI.


*FROM : MR.JAMES MINI.
EMAIL : (**jamesmini@hotmail.fr* <jamesmini@hotmail.fr>*)*

*ATTN: DEAR FRIEND,*

*IT IS WITH A HEART FULL OF HOPE THAT I WRITE,SOLICITING FOR YOUR STRICT
CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE AS BEING
CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET.I AM SORRY IF THIS PROPOSAL COMES TO YOU AS AN
EMBARSSEMENT BUT BE REST ASSURED THAT, I GOT YOUR PARTICULIERS OF CONTACT
FROM OUR FOREIGN OFFICE OF CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES, WHO ASSURED
ME OF YOUR ABILITY AND RELIABILITY TO EXECUTE A TRANSACTION OF GREAT
MAGNITUDE.*

*I AM MR JAMES MINI, AN ACCOUNTANT WITH BEACON LTD. FOREIGN OIL COMPANY
BASED IN BENIN REPUBLIC. BEAGON WAS INVOLVED IN PROSPECTING, DRILLING AND
BUNKERING OF OIL AT HIGH SEA (OFF SHORE), WITH EXPATRIATE CONSISTING
MAJORITY OF THE STAFF STRENGTH,UNFORTUNATELY, THESE EXPATRIATES GOT INTO AN
ILLEGAL SALE OF OIL AND THE MONEY FROM IT TRANSFERRED THROUGH A SECURITY
COMPANY OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT WITH A SECURITY STAMP ON IT.*

*THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF BENIN REPUBLIC DISCOVERED THE ILLEGAL
TRANSACTION,REVOLED THEIR LICENSE AND THE EXPATIES WERE REPATRIATED. SO,BY
VIRTUE OF MY POSITION AS THE ACCOUNTANT OF THE COMPANY, I HAVE IN MY
POSSESSION ALL THE VALUABLE DOCUMENTS CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUNK
BOX DEPOSITED WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY.THE CONTENT OF THESE BOXES IS TWELVE
MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$12M). I HAVE PUT IN AN
APPLICATION WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY TO TRANSFER THE BOX TO THEIR
CORRESPONDENCE OFFICE WHICH THEY HAVE OBLIGED AND BEING THAT THIS DEAL WAS
BEEN CARRIED OUT BY FOREIGN FIRM,I NEED A TRUSTWORTHY FOREIGNER LIKE YOU
THAT WILL ASSIST ME TO A LOGICAL CONCLUSION OF THIS PENDING BUSINESS WHICH
BOTH OF US WILL BOUND TO BENEFIT EARNESTLY.*

*ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND BEFORE THE SECURITY COMPANY AND SIGN AS ONE
OF EXPATRIATES TO ENABLE YOU CLAIM THE MONEY AND PAY IT INTO YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT.PLEASE, NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK - FREE, FOR EVERY
MACHINERIES HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE FOR SUCESSFUL CONCLUSION. REMEMBER THAT I
HAVE WITH ME THE ENTIRE NECESSARY DOCUMENT THAT WILL PROVE THAT THE MONEY
IS FOR US.*

*I EXPECT YOU TO BE TRUSTWORTHY AND KIND ENOUGH TO KEEP MY OWN SHARE,WHEN
THE MONEY GETS TO YOUR ACCOUNT. I HEREBY AGREE TO COMPENSATE YOU SINCERELY
AND CANDID EFFORT IN THIS REGARD WITH 25% OF THE FUND AFTER THE TRANSFER AND
5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES BOTH LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION, TELEPHONE BILLS ETC., WILL BE
SETTLED FROM THIS PERCENTAGE,WITH 70% WILL BE FOR ME AND THREE OF MY
COLLEAGUES.*

*THIS DEAL WILL BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN WORKING DAYS WITH YOU FULL SUPPORT
AND CO-OPERATION.I WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU, AND
SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSACTION. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE
RECEIPT OF THIS PROPOSAL,
BY MAILING ME BACK THROUGH MY E-MAIL ADDRESS
:(**jamesmini@hotmail.fr*<jamesmini@hotmail.fr>
*)*

*YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR.JAMES MINI.
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam