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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. FREDRICK STONE" <dave_je3@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 15:48:38 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: *****SPAM***** URGENT REPLY NEEDED


Spam detection software, running on the system "radius2.beosms.com", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK LONDON-ENGLAND ATTN: BENEFICI=
ARY,
I AM DIRECTED TO CONTACT YOU SEQUEL TO THE AUTHORIZATION RECEIVED FROM=
THE
NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE APPROVAL FROM THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA =
TO
CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE SUM OF =8016,500,000:00 (SIXTEEN MILLION F=
IVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND EURO) INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. [...]=20

Content analysis details: (13.1 points, 8.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- ---------------------------------------------=
-----
-1.8 ALL_TRUSTED Passed through trusted hosts only via SMTP
2.8 TVD_PH_SUBJ_URGENT TVD_PH_SUBJ_URGENT
2.1 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
2.3 FORGED_YAHOO_RCVD 'From' yahoo.com does not match 'Received' he=
aders
1.3 MISSING_HEADERS Missing To: header
1.6 URG_BIZ BODY: Contains urgent matter
0.0 BAYES_50 BODY: Bayesian spam probability is 40 to 60%
[score: 0.5000]
1.2 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419=
)
1.5 UPPERCASE_75_100 message body is 75-100% uppercase
1.4 ADVANCE_FEE_3 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419=
)
0.6 ADVANCE_FEE_4 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419=
)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam