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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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.

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "% commission" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• 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.
  • georgelukas00@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3a-georgelukas00@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "glukas4 Gazeta.pl" <glukas4@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: georgelukas00@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 18:58:02 +0100
Subject: Business Proposal


From Mr.George Lukas
Chairman of the contract award committee
Independent National Electoral Commission.
Email:-georgelukas00@yahoo.com <Email%3A-georgelukas00@yahoo.com>

Dear Sir/Madam,

I will start with a brief introduction of my self, my names are Mr.George
Lukas,Chairman of the contract award committee of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).

My committee awarded contract for the production of materials used in the
last general election that took place in Nigeria on April 2007,After due
deliberation with my partners, I decided to forward to you this
business/partnership proposal.

The contract for the printing of ballot papers which was used for the
Governorship and Presidential election of April 21st 2007 was awarded to the
Nigerian Security and minting and printing company and later sub-contracted
to a South African printing company with a consideration of 10% commission
for members of my committee.

This commission amount to the tune of EIGHT MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATE DOLLARS .($8,500.000) Note that the actual contract sum has
been paid to the South African company but the 10% commission due to us is
still floating in one of the bank account maintained by the Federal
Government of Nigeria.

We are seeking for a reliable and God fearing person who we shall use his
name/company to receive this fund. The reason we are seeking for your
assistance is because the law guiding civil servants in ourcountry Nigeria
forbids us to operate foreign bank accounts while still in active service as
civil servants.

Be assured that we have already concluded arrangement with the officials of
the bank who are going to oversee the process of the transfer and they have
given us 100% assurance so there is no risk at all involved as everything
has been carefully planned and arranged.

Upon receipt of your interest to fully co-operate with us, we shall discuss
commitments and roles of parties involved and what shall be your share for
your participation.

You are free to ask further questions for more clarifications and kindly
include your phone number for easy contact.

Best regards.

Mr.George Lukas
Email:-georgelukas00@yahoo.com <Email%3A-georgelukas00@yahoo.com>

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam