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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Augusta Madu" <augustamadu02@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: augustamadu987@sify.com
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:28:45 +0100
Subject: Dear Beloved Friend,


Dear Beloved Friend,

Greetings in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I am Mrs. Augusta Madu, a widow
to late Alhaji Sheik, a new Christian convert suffering from long time
cancer of the breast and have only six months, presently I am in a Hospital
in London taken my treatment. My late husband, was killed during the USA
raid against terrorism in Afghanistan, he was very wealthy, and I
inherited all his business and wealth after his death because during the
period of our marriage we couldn't produce any child, so I decided to
divide this wealth to churches in Africa, America, Asia and Europe and for
humanity in general.

I therefore selected you after visiting the website and I prayed over this
selection and I am willing to donate the sum of $10 million US Dollar to you
on behalf of your organization to lend a hand in reaching out to the less
privileged and the development of the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ. This
fund is in presently in Security Company in Switzerland.
So upon your reply I will instruct my attorney Barrister Michael Gill
Holonis to file in an application of Withdrawal of this fund to your favor.

So please confirm these items as below if you are interested to assist:

1, your full name
2, your mailing address
3, your telephone and fax numbers.

On receipt of the confirmed items, I will forward it to my Attorney so that
some necessary changes will be made on the documents to enable you have
claim to the Consignment/Donation, but note that until this Donation of $10
million is delivered to you, I will strongly insist that this transaction
most be keep a top secret, as I wait your gentle and kind response to this
mail

God bless you and your family.
Mrs. Augusta Madu

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam